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THE 


CHINESE 

AT  HOME  AND  ABROAD. 


TOGETHER    WITH 


The  Report  of  the  Special  Committee  of  the 
Board  of  Supervisors  of  San  Francisco,  on  the 
Condition  of  the  Chinese  Quarter  of  that  City. 


By   WILLARD   B.  FARWELL. 


SAN    FRANCISCO: 

A.   L.  BANCROFT  &  GO. 

1885. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1885,  by 

^YILLARD  B.  FARWELL 

In  the  office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  Washington,  D.  C. 


OOISTTENTB. 


PART     I. 


CHAPTEE  I. 


intbodttctobt. 

Paqe. 

The  Chinese  Question  should  be  discussed  dispassionately — Need  of  Missionary 

■work   among    the    American    people— Original    attitude    of   San    Francisco 

toward   the    Chinese — What  the    change  of    sentiment   has  been — Political 

I    status  of  the  Chinese— Inconsistencies  of  the  American  policy — The  logical 

consideration  of  the  Question , 7-14 


CHAPTER  II. 


THE      CHINESK     AT     HOME. 

Opinions  of  the  Abbe  Hue— John  Henry  Gray,  Archdeacon  of  Hong  Kong,  on  the 
Chinese— The  experiences  of  the  Missionary,  Rev.  Justice  Doolittle— Slavery 
in  China — False  statements  exposed — Mr.  Con^rell's  testimony — The  proofs 
as  given  in  'Williams'  "Middle  Kingdom  "—Bayard  Taylor,  Hon.  Wm.  J. 
Shjtw  and  other  travelers  on  the  Chinese  at  Home 14-30 


CHAPTEE  III. 


THE      IKHUaiANITT      OF     THE      KACE. 

The  better  side  of  the  Chinese  thararter  always  held  up  to  view — Horrible  cruelties 
practiced  in  Courts  of  Justice — Thrilling  story  told  by  the  Abbe  Hue — 
Prisoners  with  hands  nailtd  to  carts— Chinese  Prisons  and  Punishments — 
Tortures  and  savage  practices — How  writers  all  agree  on  these  points — Ex- 
periences of  Mr.  Loch  and  hir  Henry  Parkes — The  massacre  at  Tein-Tsin — 
Justice  both  blind  and  deaf  iu  China— Infanticide  in  China— How  it  is  prac- 
ticed among  rich  and  poor — Inhumanity  among  the  Chinese  in  California — The 
bigotry  of  a  Missionary  writer 


ii,  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTEE  IV. 


THK       CHINKSE       ABKOAD. 

Effect  of  contact  of  Christianity  and  Idolatry— Contaminating  influences  of  the 
Chinese  element— Millions  ready  to  come—  The  Chinese  in  the  Indian  Archi- 
pelago— Chinatown  in  Singapore— A  leproduction  of  Chinatown  in  San 
Francisco— Filthy  habits— The  Colony  at  Penang— Sir  John  Bowling's  -visit  to 
the  Philippines— The  Chinese  in  Australia— Sir  Thomas  Herbert  on  the 
Chinese  in  the  Indian  Archipelago— Dampier's  description— Proof  that  the 
Chinaman  never  assimilates  and  never  changes— Chinese  multiplying  here  by 
the  generative  process— The  seriousness  of  the  problem 50-60 


CHAPTEE  V. 


THK     INCONSISTENCIES     OF     MISSIONARY     WEITEES. 

Religious  zeal  blinds  them  to  the  truth — The  clergyman  as  a  political  economist — 
The  rhapsody  of  an  enthusiast — His  position  untenable — Are  the  QJiinese  here 
by  order  of  Providence  ? — If  so,  it  is  blasphemy  to  oppose  their  coming — Chris- 
tianity retreats  as  Idolatry  advances— The  story  of  a  church— Conversions  of 
Chinese  in  California — The  brethren  of  Puget  Sound 60-72 


CHAPTER  VI. 


CHINESE   CHEAP   LABOB   FOE   THE   DEVELOPMENT   OF   CALIPOENIA. 

What  has  Chinese  cheap  labor  accomplished  in  California? — The  Chinese  and  the 
Central  Pacific  Railroad — A  reckless  missionary  statement — Mr.  Crocker's  tes- 
timony— The  Rev.  O.  Gibson  as  a  political  economist — The  real  effect  of 
Chinese  cheap  labor— How  it  prevents  the  settlement  of  California  with  small 
farmers — The  Chinese  and  the  capitalists — The  Chinese  and  manufacturers  in 
California — Address  to  the  people  by  the  Legislative  Committee 72-87 


CHAPTER  VII. 


THE     POINTS     OF     VIEW. 

The  difference  of  point  of  view  between  the  people  of  the  Pacific  and  Atlantic 
coasts — The  testimony  of  a  united  people — The  folly  of  the  scare  about  dis- 
turbance of  commercial  relations — Eastern  manufacturers  building  up  a  new 
manufacturing  rival  nation — The  skill  and  ability  of  the  Chinese  admitted — 
But  shall  American  mechanics  be  brought  down  to  their  level  m  mode  of 
life?— Criticisms  upon  missionary  writers — False  statements  exposed — Shall 
•we  spread  ruin  among  our  own  people  to  exalt  the  Chinese  ? 87-98 


CONTENTS.  Ill, 

CHAPTER  VIII. 


THE      OPIUM      HABIT. 

A  new  rival  for  the  alcoholic  evil— Two  twiu  evils  of  intemperance  instead  of  one— 
The  opium  habit  worse  than  intemperance  in  the  use  of  alcoholic  stimu- 
lants— The  Kev.  Mr.  Speer's  testimony — Mr.  Willirms  on  the  use  of  opium — • 
What  the  Abbe  Hue  says — Mr.  Doolittle's  experiences — What  opium  has  done 
for  China— What  it  is  doing  for  (;alifornia 94-103 


CHAPTER  IX. 


THE     INTRODUCTION     AND     SPBEAD     OF     LEFBOST. 

The  third  horror — Leprosy  unknown  in  America  until  the  Chinese  came — The  report 
of  Dr.  Foye — Leprosy  iu  the  Hawaiian  Islands — The  leper  colony  there — Shall 
■we  become  a  nation  of  lepers? 104-111 


CHAPTER  X. 


THE      EACES     IN      CONFLICT. 

The  massacres  in  Wyoming  and  Washington  Territories — Forbearance  toward  the 
Chinese,  and  maintenance  of  the  supremacy  of  the  law  in  California — Playing 
with  fire — Dangers  ahead — Kace  conflicts  in  other  countries — The  massacres  in 
Batavia  and  Manilla — TLe  insanity  of  men  when  excited  by  wrongs — Power- 
lessness  of  the  Government  to  prevent,  even  if  able  to  punish — San  Francisco 
has  long  stood  in  danger— Antagonistic  elements  in  nature  and  among  men — 
Not  a  question  of  seuLiment,  but  one  of  common  sense  andcouunon  humanity 
— Relations  of  the  States  of  the  Pacific  Coast. 111-llS 


PART     II. 

Report  of  Special  Committee  of  Board  of  Supervisors  of  San  Francisco 1-95 

Chinatown  in  Sacramento 97-111 


PART  I 


* '  As  yet,  our  Mongolian  visitors  are  substantially  free  to 
labor  as  they  will  and  for  -whom  they  will,  as  long  as  they 
render  due  obedience  to  our  laws.  As  yet,  I  judge  that  the 
benefits  resulting  from  their  immigration  have  decidly  over- 
balanced the  evils.  But  what  has  hitherto  been  a  rivulet  may 
become  a  Niagara,  hurling  millions  instead  of  thousands  upon 
us  from  the  vast,  overcrowded  hives  of  China  and  India,  to 
cover  not  only  our  Pacific  slope  but  the  Great  Basin,  and 
pour  in  torrents  through  the  gorges  of  the  Rocky  Mountains 
into  the  vast,  inviting  valley  of  the  Mississippi.  The  pros- 
pect demands  instant,  earnest  consideration.  The  stream 
of  Mongol  immigration  may  vastly  enlarge  itself,  yet  remain 
beneficent  and  fertilizing;  but  not  if  it  is  to  work  (as  many 
apprehend)  a  retrograde  change  in  our  industrial  organiza- 
tion, and  result  in  the  establishment  of  a  novel  and  specious 
serfdom  but  little  removed  in  essence  from  old-fashioned 
slavery," — Horace  Greeley's  "Essays  on  Political  Economy, ^^ 
1870. 


PREFACE. 


The  "Report  of  the  Special  Committee  of  the  Board  of 
Supervisors  of   San  Francisco,"  which  will  be  found  repub- 
lished in  this  volume,  presents  a  truthful  and  fair  statement 
of  the  mode  of  life  of  the  Chinese  in  San  Francisco.     Strik- 
ing, and   indeed   shocking   as  its  revelations   are,  thej  fall 
far  short  of  conveying  to  the  reader  who  has  never  visited  a 
"Chinese  quarter"  here  or  elsewhere,  a  perfect  conception 
of  the  real  condition  of  things  in  that  locality.     No  one  ha& 
yet  been  found  bold  enough  to   attack  a  single  statement  of 
fact  contained  in  this  report,   or  to  call  in  question  the  just- 
ness of  the  indictment  thus  presented  against  the  Chinese  as 
residents  of  our  country.     It  is  probably  the  first  time  that 
the  practical  effects  of  Chinese  immigration  have  ever  been 
clearly  and  fairly  presented  for  public  consideration;  the  first 
time  that  the  plain,  unvarnished  truth  has  been  told,  stripped 
of  the  ad  captand^im  nonsense  and  noise  with  which  the  ques- 
tion has  so  long  been  burthen ed,  and   by  which  the  public 
mind  has  been  nauseated  and  misled. 

The  plan  contemplated  in  this  work  has  been  to  show, 
first,  what  are  the  salient  features  of  Chinese  manners  and 
customs  at  home;  to  expose,  so  far  as  reference  to  recog- 
nized authorities  will  permit,  the  vices,  low  grade  of  mor- 
ality, cruelties,  and  all  the  general  evil  qualities  which  the 
race  possess,  conceding  to  them  all  the  virtues  which  their 


4  PREFACE. 

warmest  admirers  may  desire  to  set  down  to  their  credit,  and 
then,  by  comparing  their  mode  of  life  when  transplanted  to 
these  or  other  shores  outside  of  the  ' '  Flowery  Kingdom,"  to 
ascertain  how  far  their  native  vices,  their  low  grade  of 
morals,  their  heathenism,  their  cruel  practices  and  innate 
inhumanity  are  modified  by  the  process  of  transplanting 
them  to  other  shores,  to  breathe  a  new  atmosphere  and  be 
fostered  under  other  skies. 

If  it  can  be  proved,  incontrovertibly,  that  the  Chinese  at 
home  are  a  race  unfit  in  every  aspect  of  life  to  mingle  with 
and  exist  among  a  Christian  community;  if  it  can  be  proved 
that  their  race  characteristics  are  so  utterly  at  variance 
with  those  of  the  Caucasian  type  that  assimilation  with 
that  race  is  impossible;  if  it  can  be  proved  that  their 
presence  on  our  shores  results  alone  in  sowing  the  seeds  of 
immorality,  vice  and  disease  among  our  people,  and  plunges 
a  large  mass  of  the  laboring  classes  into  poverty  and  misery; 
if  it  can  be  proved  that  they  alone,  and  a  comparatively  few 
capitalists,  are  benefited  pecuniarily,  and  that  they  remain  an 
unconverted  pagan  multitude  still,  impervious  to  every  effort 
that  may  be  made  to  convert  them  to  the  "  true  faith;"  if  it 
can  be  proved  that  instead  of  Christian  contact  resulting  in 
lifting  them  up  it  results  in  pulling  Christian  people  down  to 
the  level  of  their  own  degradation — what  can  there  be  said  in 
favor  of  the  longer  toleration  of  the  coming  of  this  race,  or 
the  longer  acceptance  of  the  cant  and  bigotry  that  have  here- 
tofore been  uttered  or  written  in  their  behalf? 

All  this  it  is  proposed  to  prove,  and  to  prove  incontroverti- 
bly, in  this  work.  Having  this  end  in  view,  and  believing 
that  the  task  thus  planned   and   entered  upon  has  been  ac- 


PREFACE .  5 

complished,  it  is  submitted  for  public  consideration,  with  the 
assurance  that  it  embodies  only  a  plain,  fair  statement  of 
immutable  truths,  and  that  it  involves  a  lesson  from  which 
unprejudiced  civilized  humanity  can  hardly  fail  to  profit. 

W.  B.  F. 

San  Francisco,  September,  1885. 


CHAPTER  I. 


INTKODUCTORT. 

The  discussion  of  the  question  of  Chinese  immigration 
into  the  United  States,  and  the  effects  of  such  immigration 
upon  the  public  welfare,  ought  surely  to  be  conducted  with- 
out prejudice  and  without  passion.  There  is  little  to  choose 
in  the  ministrations  of  public  criticisms  between  the  pre- 
judice which  controls  the  minds  of  sentimentalists  and 
religious  enthusiasts,  and  the  passion  which  fires  the  hearts 
of  the  "  sand-lot "  orators,  in  the  advocacy  of  their  theories 
and  the  inculcation  of  their  doctrines  upon  this  question. 

So  important  a  public  problem  as  this,  so  overshadowing 
indeed  in  its  importance,  every  other  question  that  has  ever 
agitated  the  minds  of  the  American  people  since  African 
slavery  was  abolished,  may  well  command  calmness  of 
thought,  coolness  of  consideration  and  indeed  the  most  con- 
scientious effort  of  the  human  mind  in  seeking  its  solution. 

It  is  impossible  to  find  a  writer  upon  this  question  who 
has  given  the  result  of  his  labors  to  the  public  thus  far  in 
printed  form,  whose  arguments  are  not  perverted  by  the 
baldest  prejudice,  and  whose  facts  and  figures  are  not  to  a 
greater  or  lesser  extent  distorted  and  misrepresented;  who 
does  not  seek  to  force  the  conclusions  which  he  too  plainly 
wishes  to  arrive  at  to  meet  the  bias  of  his  mind  in  every 
instance.  If  there  is  an  exception  to  this  rule  it  will  be 
difficult  to  find  it.  This  remark  does  not  aj)ply  to  writers 
upon  China  and  the  Chinese,  as  historians  or  otherwise,  but 
only  to  those  who  have  written  upon  the  subject  of  the 
Chinese  in  connection  with  their  immigration  into  the 
United  States,  since  that  question  began  to  take  on  the  form 


8  INTRODUCTOEY 

of  a  State  and  National  issue.  So  far  as  tlie  orators  of  the 
* '  sand  lots  "  and  tlieir  followers  are  concerned,  those,  who, 
however  well  meaning  and  honest  they  may  be,  unite  in  the 
common,  passionate  cry  "the  Chinese  must  go,"  without  yet 
ever  having  formulated  a  single  practicable  method  of  carry- 
ing their  rallying  cry  into  effect,  and  witliout  considering 
how  to  deal  with  the  problem  from  any  other  than  the  stand- 
point of  passion,  there  is  no  occasion  to  say  more  than  that 
their  action  can  never  produce  any  other  than  calamitous 
results,  both  to  themselves  and  the  singular  class  of  people 
whose  presence  among  us  thus  invites  and  possibly  justifies 
their  hatred 

There  is  not  only  missionary  work  to  be  done  by  the 
Christian  denominations  among  these  idolatrous  people,  but 
there  is  an  almost  boundless  field  for  the  thoughtful  men  of 
California  and  the  Pacific  Coast  generally,  to  do  missionary 
work  among  the  American  people,  to  open  their  eyes  and 
convince  them  of  the  inexpressible  dangers  that  now  threaten 
their  future  prosperity  from  this  very  thing  of  Chinese 
immigration.  The  need  of  conversion  on  this  question  will 
come  home  to  everyone,  when  we  stop  to  consider  that  in 
the  earlier  years  of  the  settlement  of  California  by  the 
American  people — particularly  as  regards  San  Francisco — 
the  immigration  of  the  Chinese  and  their  presence  among 
us,  was  regarded  by  the  people  here  with  a  degree  of  favor 
equal  to  that  which  now  animates  a  large  body  of  the  Amer- 
ican people  upon  the  subject.  And  it  was  not  till  years  of 
contact  in  the  fields  of  commerce  and  industrial  interests 
had  taught  them  a  lesson  in  the  danger  which  they  were 
courting,  that  the  real  magnitude  and  character  of  the  Chinese 
question  dawned  upon  them.  It  need  not,  and  cannot  be  said, 
justly,  then,  that  the  people  of  California,  when  they  set  their 
faces — regardless  of  party  prejudice — against  the  further 
increase  of  the  Chinese  horde,  are  governed  by  any  other 
thought  or  desire  than  that  inspired  by  the  admitted  "  first 


INTKODUCTORY.  y 

law  of  nature,"  "self  preservation,"  than  a  sincere  convic- 
tion which  a  long  and  bitter  experience  by  contact  with  this 
Asiatic  race  has  begotten,  and  which  compels  them  now  to 
insist  upon  the  adoption  of  such  remedial  measures  as  shall 
relieve  them  of  the  national  wrong  under  which  they  are 
suffering. 

It  should  be  the  unceasing  effort,  then,  of  the  thoughtful 
men  of  the  Pacific  Coast  to  so  present  the  story  of  the  effects 
of  Chinese  immigration  among  them,  in  the  garb  of  unvar- 
nished and  incontrovertible  truth,  as  to  carry  the  same  con- 
viction to  the  hearts  of  all  thinking  people  in  every  State  of 
the  Union  as  that  which  this  practical  experience  of  the  peo- 
ple of  the  Pacific  Coast  has  brought  home  to  them  and 
convinced  them  of  their  pending  danger.  This  cannot  bet- 
ter be  done  than  by  the  presentation  of  so  truthful  a  state- 
ment and  exhibit  of  the  exact  relations  which  they  now  bear 
among  us,  after  thirty-five  years  of  social  and  industrial 
contact,  as  will  cany  conviction  to  the  minds  of  all  reasoning 
men,  and  secure  such  unity  of  national  action  as  will  deal 
with  this  great  problem  upon  the  basis  of  public  right  and 
justice. 

What  the  people  of  the  Pacific  Coast  especially  demand 
is  that  the  American  people  will  lay  aside  all  prejudice  and 
pre-conceived  views  upon  the  Chinese  question  and  examine 
the  whole  subject  matter  in  the  light  of  incontrovertible  tes- 
timony, such  as  they  are  now  enabled  to  present,  without 
passion  and  without  bias.  It  has  already  been  said  that 
time  was  when  the  people  of  San  Francisco,  for  example, 
were  as  strongly  in  favor  of  Chinese  immigration  as  any  of 
its  advocates  are  to-day  in  other  sections  of  our  country. 

Upon  the  occasion  of  the  admisson  of  California  into  the 
Union,  the  people  of  San  Francisco  celebrated  the  event 
with  great  enthusiasm.  Not  the  least  conspicuous  feature  of 
the  public  procession  were  the  Chinese,  who,  as  invited 
guests,  took  part  in  the  event.     In   1853,  upon  the  occasion 


10  INTRODUCTOKY. 

of  the  delivery  of  a  lecture  on  China  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Speer, 
the  Hon.  H.  H.  Haight,  subsequently  Democratic  Governor 
of  the  State,  presented  the  following  resolutions  at  the  close 
of  the  lecture,  which  were  unanimously  adopted: 

"Resolved,  That  the  present  position  of  Oriental  nations 
is  fraught  with  the  most  profound  interest  to  the  Christian 
world,  and  that  we,  as  citizens  of  California,  placed  by  the 
wonderful  leadings  of  Providence  so  immediately  in  con- 
tact with  one  of  the  most  ancient,  intelligent  and  populous 
of  these  nations,  hail  with  peculiar  satisfaction  the  signs  of 
the  times;  and  that  we  feel  an  imperative  obligation  to  em- 
ploy our  money,  our  influence  and  utmost  effort  for  the  welfare 
of  that  vast  portion  of  the  human  family,  our  older  brothers — 
the  people  of  China. 

' '  Resolved,  That  we  regard  with  pleasure  the  presence  of 
great  numbers  of  these  people  among  us  as  affording  the 
best  ojDportunity  of  doing  them  good,  and  through  them  of 
exerting  our  influence  upon  their  native  land." 

It  is  not  too  much  to  say  that  if  these  resolutions  were 
submitted  for  endorsement  to  the  popular  vote  of  the  people 
of  San  Francisco  to-day,  there  is  not  a  man  in  the  whole 
community,  except  those  directly  and  pecuniarily  interested 
in  keeping  the  Chinamen  here,  who  would  not  repudiate  the 
sentiment  which  they  embody  by  an  emphatic  no !  Is  it  to 
be  presumed  that  such  a  change  of  sentiment  has  been 
brought  about  in  the  minds  of  an  intelligent  people  except 
by  such  practical  results  growing  out  of  long  years  of  con- 
tact with  the  Chinese  as  have  compelled  them  to  conversion? 
It  should  be  remembered  that  this  change  of  public  sen- 
timent in  California  during  these  years  of  contact  with  the 
Chinse  is  not  the  conversion  of  a  people  coming  from  any 
one  section  of  the  Union,  or  representing  any  one  State;  but 
that  California — "Child  of  the  Union,"  as  she  has  been 
aptly  called — has  a  population  made  ujd  of  representatives 
from  every  part  of  the  United  States  as  well  as  European 
countries.  Whatever,  then,  by  practical  experience,  carries 
conviction  home  to  the  minds  of   a  people  so  constituted, 


INTRODUCTORY.  11 

ought  to  be  accepted  bj  the  people  of  all  the  rest  of  the 
States  as  convincing,  and  should  insure  their  acquiescence 
and  cooperation.  It  should  be  accepted  as  proof  positive  ia 
itself  that  the  position  held  bj  the  people  of  California  on 
this  question  is  necessarily  right,  and  necessarily  deserving 
of  the  sympathy  and  aid  of  the  people  of  the  nation. 

If,  then,  a  true  exhibit  of  the  causes  which  have  led  to 
this  change  of  sentiment  can  be  conveyed  into  the  minds  of 
their  fellow-citizens  throughout  the  country,  it  is  reasonable 
to  assume  that  they,  too,  will  experience  "a  change  of  heart" 
upon  this  momentous  issue.  It  is  the  object  of  the  compila- 
tion of  incontestible  facts,  which  will  be  presented  in  this 
work,  to  carry  home  conviction  to  the  hearts  of  all  fair- 
minded  men  under  whose  observation  it  may  fall,  and  to 
bring  about,  to  that  extent,  at  least,  such  a  reformation  in 
the  public  mind  upon  the  Chinese  question  as  shall  strengthen 
the  arms  of  the  people  of  the  Pacific  Coast,  in  the  contest 
which  they  are  making  to  remove  the  incubus  which  has 
fastened  itself  upon  them,  and  to  avert  the  still  greater 
danger  which  threatens  the  whole  country  by  the  further 
toleration  of  Chinese  immigration. 

No  fair  and  impartial  statement  of  the  Chinese  question 
can  be  made  that  does  not  embody  an  exhibit  in  brief  of  the 
social,  industrial,  moral  and  religious  sides  of  Chinese  life 
in  China  itself,  and  the  same  conditions  of  their  existence 
after  being  translated  to  these  shores,  and  after  haviug  estab- 
lished themselves  by  a  residence  of  prolonged  existence 
among  us.  The  most  liberal  and  earnest  advocate  of  unre- 
stricted foreign  immigration  into  the  United  States, 
the  wildest  enthusiast  upon  the  theory  of  making 
this  land  the  asylum  of  the  poor  and  oppressed  of  all 
nations,  will  surely  not  contend  that  the  public  welfare,  or 
the  welfare  of  the  wide  mixture  of  nationalities  that  assem- 
ble here  can  ever  be  promoted,  except  it  be  followed  by 
intermixture,    or    what    is    better    termed    "assimilation," 


12  INTRODUCTORY. 

and  complete  AmericanLzation  in  social  and  industrial 
manner  and  mode  of  life.  And  the  only  rational  defense  of 
this  unlimited  immigration  tlieory  rests  solely  upon  the 
results  that  have  heretofore  obtained  in  putting  it  into  prac- 
tice and  adhering  to  it  as  a  measure  of  fixed  public  policy. 
Going  farther  than  this,  it  involves  also  all  the  conditions 
of  perfect  political  assimilation ;  and  hence  it  is  accompanied 
by  such  terms  of  naturalization  to  all  the  rights  of  citizen- 
ship, that  all  may,  after  a  brief  period,  enter  into  and  parti- 
cipate in  all  the  political  rights  that  the  native  American 
enjoys,  as  freely  as  if  born  and  bred  upon  the  soil. 

This  theory  presupposes  that  every  adult  as  well  as  every 
child  immigrant  coming  into  the  United  States  is  capable  of 
being  Americanized,  as  heretofore  stated,  by  brief  contactwith 
Americans  and  brief  residence  upon  American  soil.  Now  if 
this  be  the  underlying  theory  of  the  American  form  of  govern- 
ment, and  if  it  can  be  proved  beyond  controversy  that  there 
are  nationalities  which  cannot  be  Americanized,  which  cannot 
assimilate  and  which  thus  form  an  exception  to  this  presup- 
posed theory,  which  send  to  us  a  class  of  human  material 
that,  by  reason  of  ethnological  or  other  natural  laws,  must 
always  remain  separate  in  race  characteristics,  and  in  social 
and  industrial  life  must  always  be  antagonistic  to  the  same 
phases  of  American  life  proper;  if  it  can  be  proved  that  the 
contact  of  such  a  race  with  the  assimilated  or  composite 
American  race  jproper  is  productive  only  of  the  spread  of 
vice  and  disease  of  blood,  and  degrading  and  injurious  to 
American  free  labor,  then  no  unbiased  mind  can  fail  to  say 
that  such  a  race  should  be  made  an  exception  to  the  Amer- 
ican theory,  and  American  soil  should  not  be  opened  to 
them  as  an  asylum  or  a  home. 

What  happens  in  the  case  of  the  Chinese  is  this :  The 
nation,  by  Congressional  law,  recognizes  that  they  are  not 
fit  for  political  citizenship,  but  does  not  deny  them  the  right 
of  asylum  or  home  among  us.      The  case  is  thus  half  admit- 


INTEODUCTOEY.  13 

ted,  and  tlie  battle  half  won.  Now  let  us  take  one  step 
further.  In  the  case  of  children  born  upon  the  soil  from 
Chinese  parentage,  the  prohibition  against  naturalization 
cannot  apply,  and  they  are  and  must  be  citizens.  Now,  if  it 
can  be  proved  that  even  with  Chinese  children  born  upon 
the  soil  the  same  race  characteristics  prevail  in  all  respects 
that  exist  among  the  adult  immigrants,  then  the  same  ob- 
jections obtain  against  their  exercising  the  rights  of  citizen- 
ship which  have  caused  the  Chinese  to  be  made  exceptions 
against  naturalization;  and  we  thus  have  created,  by  admit- 
ting Chinese  immigration  at  all,  the  very  means  of  defeat  of 
the  precaution  which  Congress  has  taken,  to  prohibit  Chinese 
naturalization.  Such  is  the  anomalous  and  absurd  position 
in  which  we  have  placed  ourselves  by  this  self-frustrating 
system  of  Congressional  legislation;  because  it  will  later  on 
appear  that  such  is  the  precise  status  of  Chinese  children 
born  upon  American  soil,  in  so  far  as  thirty-five  years  of  ex- 
perience with  Chinese  immigration  and  habition  here  goes 
to  prove.  Let  us,  in  logical  order,  see,  then,  first :  what  are 
the  characteristics  of  life  in  China  of  the  classes  of  Chinese 
who  immigrate  to  America;  second,  what  are  their  character- 
istics when  transplanted  to  these  shores.  There  need  be  no 
dispute  upon  either  of  these  points,  because  there  is  no  dis- 
pute on  the  part  of  those  who  have  written  from  experience 
and  observation  upon  the  subject  of  the  manners  and  cus- 
toms of  the  Chinese  iu  China,  unbiased  uj)ou  the  subject  of 
Chinese  immigration  into  America.  While  the  presentation 
of  the  mode  of  life  of  the  Chinese  here,  in  the  Pieport  pre- 
sented by  the  Special  Committee  of  the  Board  of  Supervisors 
of  San  Francisco  upon  so-called  "Chinatown"  in  that  city — 
not  one  single  statement  in  which  has  been  so  far  disputed 
or  attempted  to  be  controverted — settles  beyond  question 
what  the  characteristics  of  the  Chinese  are  when  thus  trans- 
planted; for  the  picture  of  "Chinatown  in  San  Francisco," 
presented  in  this  Keport,  is  a  picture  of  every  "Chinatown"  in 


14:  THE  CHINESE  AT  HOME. 

every  other  large  city  or  town  in  California  or  elsewhere,  in 
any  country  to  which  there  has  been  any  considerable  influx 
of  Chinese;  and  there  is  no  country  on  the  habitable  globe  to 
which  there  has  been  any  marked  Chinese  emigration  where 
the  same  system  of  clannish  isolation  does  not  exist  in  all 
large  communities,  and  there  is  no  city  in  such  countries 
that  does  not  boast  its  "Chinatown,"  which  quarter,  in  every 
instance,  is  a  reproduction  of  the  "Chinatown"  of  San  Fran- 
cigco — on  a  greater  or  lesser  scale,  as  the  case  may  be — as 
that  quarter  will  be  found  to  be  described  in  this  work. 
Further  than  this,  it  is  the  object  of  this  exhibit  to  prove 
that  the  "Chinese  at  Home"  are  the  "Chinese  Abroad"  in 
every  essential  particular,  unchangeable  in  any  material  as- 
pect, non-assimilating  in  nature,  and  hence  productive  only 
of  evil  consequences  when  migrating  to  these  shores,  to  be- 
come practically,  if  not  politically,  American  citizens. 


CHAPTER  II. 


THE  CHINESE  AT  HOME. 

With  the  history,  inventions  and  achievements  of  the 
Chinese  as  a  people,  with  the  code  of  morals  taught  by  Con- 
fucius or  other  Chinese  moralists,  with  the  higher  and 
better  attributes  of  Chinese  civilization  we  have  at  present 
no  concern,  because  as  these  are  represented  here  by  the 
few  merchants  or  scholars  who  necessarily  drift  here  with 
the  tide  of  coolieism  that  forms  the  great  bulk  of  Chinese 
immigration  proper,  they  scarcely  enter  into  consideration 
when  dealing  with  this  question.  Certainly  were  Chinese 
immigration  confined  alone  to  this  higher  class,  this  ques- 
tion would  cease  to  agitate  the  public  mind. 


THE  CHINESE  AT  HOME.  15 

"What  are  tlie  race  characteristics,  what  are  the  capabili- 
ties for  absorption  and  assimilation  into  the  body  politic  of 
American  nationality  if  permitted  to  come  here,  of  the  class 
of  Chinese  who  form  this  great  bulk  of  Asiatic  immigration 
to  our  shores,  what  is  to  be  the  physical,  moral  and  religious 
effect  upon  either  race  by  such  contact !  These  are  the  more 
important  features  of  the  problem  which  we  are  called  upon 
to  solve,  and  to  these  let  us  address  ourselves.  Let  us  see 
first  what'is  the  verdict  of  impartial  writers  upon  this  sub- 
ject. 

M.  I'x^bbe  Hue,  the  eminent  Frenchman,  whose  travels 
and  observations  in  China  were  of  a  more  thorough  and 
complete  character  than  those  of  any  traveler  who  preceded 
or  who  has  since  succeeded  him,  has  left  in  his  "Journey 
through  the  Chinese  Empire  "  a  record  of  his  observations 
and  conclusions  upon  the  Chinese  character  that  ought  to 
be  accepted  as  indisputable  authority.     He  says: 

/  "  Among  the  principal  causes  of  pauperism  in  China  may 
be  mentioned,  besides  the  excessive  carelessness  of  the 
government  and  the  exuberance  of  the  population,  gambling, 
drunkenness  and  debauchery.  These  vices,  of  course,  are 
not  peculiar  to  China,  they  have  been  known  in  all  ages  and 
countries  and_  have  always  brought  disorder  and  misery  in 
their  train.  It  is  true,  however,  that  the  Chinese  give  them- 
selves up  to  them  with  a  passion  never  exceeded  among  any  . 

^nation  that  has  ever  existed. 

"  Gaming  is  prohibited  by  the  laws  of  the  Empire,  but 
all  legislation  on  this  subject  has  been  overpowered  by  the 
habits  of  the  people,  and  China  is  now  in  fact  one  vast  gaming 
house.  Chinese  games  are  very  numerous;  they  play  at 
cards,  chess,  draughts,  dice  and  tsei-mei,  a  game  similar  to 
Italian  morra.  He  who  loses  is  obliged  to  pay  a  cup  of 
brandy.  The  Chinese  are  also  passionately  fond  of  cock- 
fights, as  well  as  of  combats  between  crickets,  grasshoppers, 
etc.,  and  these  interesting  amusements  always  give  occasion 
to  wagers,  often  to  a  considerable  amount.  Habitual  gam- 
blers prefer  cards  and  dice;  they  assemble  both  in  private 
houses,  and  in  public  establishments,  a  good  deal  like  our 


16  THE  CHINESE  AT  HOME. 

cafes  except  that  nothing  but  tea  is  drank  in  them.  There 
they  pass  days  and  nights,  playing  with  so  much  passion, 
that  they  scarcely  give  themselves  time  even  to  take  their 
food.  There  is  not  a  village  that  has  not  its  gaming  house 
and  its  professed  gamesters. 

"  The  Chinese  are,  as  we  have  said,  industrious  and 
economical,  but  their  cupidity,  their  immoderate  love  of 
lucre  and  their  decided  taste  for  stock-jobbing  and  specula- 
tion easily  tempt  them  to  gambling  when  they  are  not  en- 
gaged in  traffic.  They  seek  eagerly  for  strong  excitements, 
and  when  once  they  have  got  into  the  habit  of  gambling 
they  seldom  or  never  recover  from  it.  They  cast  aside  every 
obligation  of  station,  duty  and  family,  to  live  only  for  cards 
and  dice;  and  this  fatal  passion  gains  such  an  empire  over 
them  that  they  proceed  even  to  the  most  revolting  extremi- 
ties. When  they  have  lost  all  their  money  they  will  play 
for  their  houses,  their  land,  and  their  wives,  even,  whose 
destiny  often  depends  on  a  cast  of  the  dice.  Nay,  the 
Chinese  gambler  does  not  stop  here,  for  he  will  stake  the 
very  clothes  he  has  on  for  one  game  more;  and  this  horrible 
custom  gives  rise  to  scenes  that  would  not  be  credible  did 
we  not  know  that  the  passions  always  tend  to  render  men 
cruel  and  inhuman. 

* '  In  the  northern  provinces,  especially  in  the  environs  of 
the  Great  Wall,  you  may  sometimes  meet,  during  the  most 
intense  cold  of  winter,  men  running  about  in  a  state  of 
complete  nudity,  having  been  driven  pitilessly  from  the 
gaming  houses  when  they  had  lost  their  all.  They  rush 
about  in  all  directions  like  madmen  to  try  and  save  them- 
selves from  being  frozen,  or  crouched  down  against  the  chim- 
neys, 'which  in  those  countries  are  carried  along  the  walls  of 
the  houses  on  a  level  with  the  ground.  They  turn  first  one 
side  toward  the  warmth,  then  the  other,  while  their  gambling 
companions,  far  from  trying  to  help  them,  look  on  with  fero- 
cious and  malignant  hilarity.  The  horrible  spectacle  seldom 
lasts  long,  for  the  cold  soon  seizes  the  unfortunate  creatures 
and  they  fall  down  and  die.  The  gamblers  then  return  to 
their  tables  and  begin  to  play  again  with  the  most  perfect 
composure.  Such  facts  as  these  will  appear  fabulous  to 
many  persons,  but  having  resided  several  years  in  the  north 
of  China   we  can  testify  to  their  perfect  authenticity." 

*  -x-  *  *  *  *  * 


THE  CHINESE  AT  HOME.  17 

''Many  rain  themselves  witli  brandy,  as  others  do  with 
gaming.  In  company,  or  even  alone,  they  will  pass  whole 
days  and  nights  in  drinking  successive  little  cnps  of  it  until 
their  intoxication  makes  them  incapable  of  carrying  the  cup 
to  their  lips.  When  this  passion  has  once  seized  on  the 
head  of  a  family,  poverty,  with  all  its  lugubrious  train,  very 
soon  makes  its  entrance  into  the  house." 

*  «  -X-  -Sfr  -K-  -x-  -H- 

**  Gambling  and  drunkenness,  then,  are  the  two  perma- 
nent causes  of  pauperism  in  China;  but  there  is  a  third,  still 
more  disastrous. 

"  Chinese  society  has  a  certain  tone  of  decency  and  re- 
serve that  may  very  well  impose  on  those  who  look  only  at 
the  surface  and  judge  merely  by  the  momentary  impression; 
but  a  very  short  residence  among  the  Chinese  is  sufficient  to 
show  that  their  virtue  is  entirely  external,  their  public 
morality  is  but  a  mask  worn  over  the  corruption  of  their 
manners.  We  will  take  care  not  to  lift  the  unclean  veil  that 
hides  the  putrefaction  of  this  ancient  Chinese  civilization. 
The  leprosy  of  vice  has  spread  so  completely  through  this 
skeptical  society  that  the  varnish  of  modesty  with  which  it 
is  covered  is  continually  falling  off  and  exposing  the  hideous 
wounds  which  are  eating  away  the  vitals  of  this  unbelieving 
people.  Their  language  is  already  revoltingly  indecent,  and 
the  slang  of  the  worst  resorts  6f  licentiousness  threatens  to 
become  the  ordinary  language  of  conversation.  There  are 
some  Provinces  in  which  the  inns  on  the  road  have  apart- 
ments entirely  papered  with  representations  of  all  kinds  of 
shameless  debauchery,  and  these  abominable  pictures  are 
known  among  the  Chinese  by  the  pretty  name  of  'flowers.' 

"  The  ravages  of  pauperism,  it  may  well  be  supposed, 
must  be  terrible  in  a  society  in  which  gambling,  drunken- 
ness and  libertinism  are  thus  largely  developed;  and,  in  fact, 
there  do  exist  countless  multitudes  perpetually  stagnating  in 
vice  and  misery,  and  always  ready  to  enroll  themselves  un- 
der the  banners  of  theft  and  highway  robbery.  To  this 
pauperism  especially,  we  believe,  is  to  be  ascribed  the  mon- 
strous crime  of  infanticide,  so  common  in  China,  and  for  the 
prevention  of  which  the  charity  of  Europe,  and  particularly 
of  France,  has  been  so  deeply  interested. 

*  ¥r  ^  *  «  *  * 


18  THE  CHINESE  AT  HOME. 

"As  for  ordinary  infanticides — the  suffocation  and 
drowning  of  infants — they  are  innumerable,  more  common, 
unquestionably,  than  in  any  other  place  in  the  world,  and 
their  principal  cause  is  pauperism.  From  the  information 
we  have  collected  in  various  provinces,  it  appears  that  per- 
sons in  embarrassed  circumstances  kill  their  new-born 
female  children  in  the  most  pitiless  manner. 

%  ¥:  ^  '^  *  i^  ¥r 

"  In  certain  localities,  where  the  culture  of  cotton  and 
the  breeding  of  silk-worms  furnish  young  girls  with  suitable 
occupations,  they  are  allowed  to  live,  and  the  parents  are 
even  unwilling  to  see  them  marry  and  enter  another  family. 
Interest  is  the  supreme  motive  of  the  Chinese,  even  in  cases 
where  the  heart  alone  ought  to  have  influence." 

Again,  in  referring  to  the  condition  of  women  in  China, 
M.  Hue  says: 

' '  The  public  and  private  servitude  of  women — a  servi- 
tude that  opinion,  legislation,  manners,  have  sealed  with 
their  triple  seal — has  become,  in  some  measure,  the  corner- 
stone of  Chinese  society.  The  young  girl  lives  shut  up  in 
the  house  where  she  was  born,  occupied  exclusively  with  the 
cares  of  housekeeping,  treated  by  everybody,  and  especially 
by  her  brothers,  as  a  menial,  from  whom  they  have  a  right 
to  demand  the  lowest  and  most  painful  services.  The 
amusements  and  pleasures  of  her  age  are  quite  unknown  to 
her;  her  whole  education  consists  in  knowing  how  to  use  her 
needle;  she  neither  learns  to  read  nor  write;  there  exists  for 
her  neither  school  nor  house  of  education;  she  is  condemned 
to  vegetate  in  the  most  complete  and  absolute  ignorance, 
and  no  one  ever  thinks  of  or  troubles  himself  about  her  till 
the  time  arrives  when  she  is  to  be  married.  Nay,  the  idea 
of  her  nullity  is  carried  so  far  that  even  in  this,  the  most  im- 
portant and  decisive  event  in  the  life  of  a  woman,  she  passes 
for  nothing.  The  consulting  her  in  any  way,  or  informing 
her  so  much  as  the  name  of  her  husband,  would  be  consid- 
ered as  most  superfluous  and  absurd. 

*  -X-  -X-  *  -K-  -X-  -55- 

"The  state  of  perpetual  humiliation  and  wretchedness  to 
which  the  women  of  China  are  reduced  does  sometimes  drive 
them  to  frightful  extremities,  and  the  judicial  annals  are  full 
of   the   most  tragical  events  arising  from  this  cause.     The 


THE  CHINESE  AT  HOME.  19 

number  of  women  who  bang  tbemselves,  or  commit  suicide 
in  various  ways,  is  very  considerable.  When  this  catastrophe 
occurs  in  a  family,  the  husband  shows,  usually,  a  great 
deal  of  emotion,  for,  in  fact,  he  has  suffered  a  considerable 
loss,  and  will  be  under  the  necessity  of  buying  another 
wife." 

Such  are  some  of  the  commentaries  upon  the  character  of 
the  Chinese  made  by  M.  Hue.  A  pure-minded,  pious,  truth- 
ful historian,  he  ranks  the  world  over  as  an  authority  whose 
writings  are  beyond  question,  and  who  has  chronicled 
nothing  that  he  has  not  seen  or  learned  of  through  incon- 
testible  proofs. 

Let  us  call  the  next  witness.  An  English  authority, 
John  Henry  Gray,  M.  A.,  LL.D.,  Archdeacon  of  Hong  Kong, 
the  author  of  "China:  a  History  of  the  Laws,  Manners  and 
Customs  of  the  People,"  recognized  to-day  as  a  standard 
authority  on  Chinese  matters,  says: 

"  Of  the  moral  character  of  the  people,   who  have  multi- 
}    plied  until  they  are  'as  the  sand  which  is  upon  the  seashore,' 
I    it  is  very  difficult  to  speak  justly.     The  moral  character  of 
j    the  Chinese  is  a  book  written   in  strange  letters,  which  are 
i    more  complex  and  difficult  for  one  of  another  race,  religion 
and  language  to  decipher   than  their   own  singularly  com- 
pounded word  symbols.     In  the  same  individual  virtues  and 
vices,    apparently  incompatible,   are   placed   side    by   side. 
Meekness,  gentleness,  docility,  industry,  contentment,  cheer- 
fulness, obedience  to  superiors,  dutifulness  to  parents,  and 
reverence  for  the  aged,  are  in  one  and  the  same  person  the 
J   companions  of  insincerity,  lying,  flattery,  treachery,  cruelty, 
'     jealousy,  ingratitude,  avarice,  and  distrust  of  others.    *The 
Chinese  are  a  weak  and  timid   people,  and,  in  consequence, 
like  all  similarly  constituted  races,  they  seek  a  natural  refuge 
I      in  deceit  and  fraud. 

/  ■'  Their  religion  is  a  mass  of  superstitions;  their  govern- 
ment is  in  form — that  which  of  all  others  is  perhaps  most 
liable  to  abuse — an  irresponsible  despotism;  their  judges  are 
venal;  their-  judicial  procedure  is  radically  defective,  and 
has  recourse  in  its  weakness  to  the  infliction  of  torture;  their 


20  THE  CHINESE  AT  HOME. 

punishments  are,  many  of  tliem,  barl^arous  and  revolting; 
their  police  are  dishonest,  and  their  prisons  are  dens  of  cru- 
elty. A  considerable  mass  of  the  population  does  not  know 
how  to  read,  and  nearly  everywhere  there  is  a  prejudiced 
ignorance  of  all  that  relates  to  modern  progress.  Their 
social  life  suffers  from  the  baleful  effects  of  polygamy,  and, 
to  a  certain  extent,  of  slavery;  and  their  marriage  laws  and 
customs  hold  women  in  a  state  of  degrading  bondage. 
^  Hi  ■«•  *  -H-  *  -x- 

"In  the  houses  of  wealthy  citizens  it  is  not  unusual  to 
find  from  twenty  to  thirty  slaves  attending  upon  a  family. 
Even  citizens  in  the  humbler  walks  of  life  deem  it  necessary 
to  have  each  a  slave  or  two.  The  price  of  a  slave  varies,  of 
course,  according  to  age,  health,  strength  and  general  person- 
al appearance.  The  average  price  is  from  fifty  to  one  hundred 
dollars;  but  in  time  of  war  or  revolution,  poor  parents,  on 
the  verge  of  starvation,  offer  their  sons  and  daughters  for 
sale  at  remarkably  low  prices.  I  remember  instances  of 
parents,  rendered  destitute  by  marauding  bands  who  in- 
fested the  two  southern  Kivangs  in  1854-55,  offering  to  sell 
their  daughters  in  Canton  for  five  dollars  apiece.  The  ranks 
of  slaves  are  also  recruited  from  the  families  of  gamblers, 
whose  losses  not  unfrequently  compel  them  to  sell  their 
children.  Amongst  the  many  Chinese  friends  and  acquaint- 
ances I  made  during  my  residence  at  Canton,  one,  an  old 
man  named  Lum  Chi-Ivee,  was  what  may  be  termed  a  slave 
broker;  and  I  remember  two  bright-looking  youths  being 
sold  to  him  by  their  profligate  father  who  had  gambled  his 
means  away.  The  oldest  had  fetched  fifty  dollars  and  the 
younger  forty.  The  old  slave-broker  offered  one  of  the 
youths  to  me  at  the  advanced  price  of  $350.  The  usual  price 
of  an  ordinary,  able-bodied  male  slave  is  about  $1U0. 

*  ■«■  %  -X-  *  -K-  4fr 

"  The  slavery  to  which  these  unfortunate  persons  are  sub- 
ject is  perpetual  and  hereditary,  and  they  have  no  parental 
authority  over  their  offspring.  The  great-grandsons  of 
slaves,  however,  can,  if  they  have  sufficient  means,  purchase 
their  freedom." 

The  Eev.  Justice  Doolittle,  "fourteen  years  member  of 
the  Fuhchan  mission  of  the  American  Board,"  in  his  "Social 
Life  of  the  Chinese,"  furnishes  the  following  testimony  on 
the  slavery  question : 


THE  CHINESE  AT  HOME.  21 

"Parents  can  sell  their  children  to  be  s.aves  or  to  be 
the  adopted  children  of  the  buyer.  Husbands  can  sell  their 
wives  to  be  the  wives  of  other  men,  not  to  be  their  slaves. 
These  who  have  bought  children  of  their  parents  can  sell 
them  to  others.  Children  are  not  unfrequently  stolen  from 
their  parents,  taken  to  some  other  part  of  the  province  or 
empire  and  sold  for  slaves. 

'*  The  Chinese  use  the  same  terms  to  indicate  the  sale 
and  purchase  of  children  and  wives  that  they  use  when 
speaking  of  the  sale  and  purchase  of  land  and  6attle,  or  any 
description  of  property." 

Here,  it  will  be  seen,  that  there  is  no  distinction  made  in 
the  sale  of  the  sexes  into  slavery.  But  that  there  may  be  no 
cavil  on  this  point  let  us  persue  Mr  Doolittle's  testimony 
further.     He  says: 

* '  The  following  statements  in  regard  to  the  marriage  of 
a  male  slave,  and  of  his  owner's  control  over  the  slave's  de- 
scendants have  been  furnished  by  a  literary  gentleman  in 
whose  family  clan  there  is  such  a  slave. 

"The  owner  of  a  male  slave,  after  he  has  arrived  at 
about  thirty  years  of  age  at  the  latest,  should  procure  a 
wife  for  him.  Some  delay  doing  this  until  a  considerably 
longer  period,  but  such  delay  subjects  the  owner  to  reproach 
and  the  slave  becomes  more  and  more  dissatisfied  and  un- 
faithful. His  male  children  and  grand  children  belong,  so 
to  speak,  to  his  owner,  and  must  do  according  to  his  bidding, 
though  he  may  not,  or  at  least  usually  does  not  sell  them  for 
money." 

*  -X-  *  ¥:  *  *  " 

"In  the  year  1858,  a  man  at  Fuhchau  sold  his  wife  for 
about  $20.  Another  man  about  the  same  time  offered  his 
only  son,  a  bright  lad  of  five  or  six  years,  for  sale  for  $16. 

"He  was  offered  $10  by  a  man  "  which  was  refused. 

It  is  well  to  halt  for  a  moment  in  this  citation  of  evi- 
dences of  authoritative  -writers  upon  China  and  its  people,  to 
point  out  the  inconsistencies,  nay,  the  untruthfulness  of 
some  American  missionary  writers  who  have  heretofore 
undertaken    the    task    of    defending  Chinese   immigration 


22  THE  CHINESE  AT  HOME. 

into  America  -upon  high  moral  and  religious  grounds.  One 
of  these  writers,  the  Eev.  O.  Gibson,  in  his  book  on  "The 
Chinese  in  America,"  says: 

"The  fact  is,  and  intelligent  men  know  it,  that,  so  far 
as  the  male  population  of  China  is  concerned,  no  such  thing 
as  slavery,  in  our  acceptance  of  the  term,  exists.  The 
Chinese  people  always  regarded  with  horror  the  American 
system  of  African  slavery." 

And  again,  in  his  sworn  testimony  before  the  Congres- 
sional Committee,  published  in  the  same  book,  he  says : 

"In  China  there  is  no  system  of  slavery,  so  far  as  the 
male  sex  is  concerned." 

Coming  from  a  man  who  resided  ten  years  in  China,  such 
testimony  as  this  cannot  be  set  down  to  ignorance;  and  with 
such  unassailable  evidence  as  has  already  been  given  in  flat 
contradiction  of  his  testimony,  and  which  will  be  presently 
reinforced  by  other  equally  responsible  authorities,  it  cer- 
tainly bears  the  semblance  of  wilful  perversion  of  the  truth. 
Moreover,  as  will  hereafter  be  made  conclusively  to  appear, 
Mr.  Gibson's  book  abounds  in  what  may  here  be  mildly  des- 
ignated as  misstatements  of  facts,  but  which  the  reader  of 
this  may  consider  should  be  called  by  a  harsher  term. 

Let  us  return  to  the  subject  of  the  Chinaman  at  home,  as 
seen  by  other  well-known  writers.  Mr.  Conwell,  in  his 
book  entitled  "Why  and  How,"  treating  in  general  on  the 
mode  of  life  of  the  Chinese,  has  a  chapter  on  "Chinese 
Slavery,"  from  which  a  few  extracts  will  not  be  amiss,  in 
view  of  Mr .  Gibson's  statements : 

"  The  slave  in  China  is  whipped,  branded,  put  in  stocks 
and  pillories,  and  otherwise  maltreated,  as  often  as  were  the 
African  slaves  in  the  Southern  States  of  the  American 
Union.  They  have  as  hard  tasks  to  perform,  as  little  of 
the  luxuries  of  life,  and  are  nearly  as  often  separated  from 
their  families  as  were  the  bondmen  in  the  English  Colonies." 


THE  CHINESE  AT  HOME.  23 

*'In  China  it  is  not  considered  respectable  for  a  master 
to  sell  a  husband  away  from  his  whole  family,  although  the 
girls  may  be  sold  at  any  time.  Neither  is  it  fashionable  to 
keep  a  male  slave  after  he  is  thirty  years  of  age  without  pur- 
chasing a  wife  for  him;  but  if  native  evidence  is  trustworthy, 
the  observance  of  this  moral  law  is  the  exception  rather  than 
the  rule.  The  male  slave  is  a  valuable  piece  of  property, 
and  the  heathen  master  is  more  apt  to  use  it  in  the  way 
which  will  return  the  greatest  dividend,  without  regard  to 
morality  or  suffering,  than  is  the  slave-owner  in  civilized 
lands." 

Mr.  Conwell  also  relates  in  circumstantial  detail  the 
method  by  which  the  Coolie  frequently  obtains  the  means 
to  enable  him  to  come  here*  And  that  is,  by  mortgaging 
his  family  to  the  party  advancing  him  money,  which  mort- 
gage carries  with  it  the  liability  of  direct  sale  of  wife  and 
children — sons  as  well  as  daughters — into  slavery,  to  be 
sold  to  the  highest  bidder.  He  relates  with  equal  circum- 
stantiality the  mode  of  proceeding  in  making  such  sale,  and 
specifically  refers  to  the  following  instance. 

"The  sale  of  a  family  in  Canton  in  the  month  of  April, 
1870,  will  well  illustrate  what  may  become  of  the  delinquent 
Coolie's  family  in  case  of  a  sale  under  the  bond.  This  family 
lived  in  the  town  of  Tsunghwa,  and  were  mortgaged  to  a 
broker  in  Canton,  through  a  Mandarin,  for  the  price  of  the 
Coolie's  tickets  and  a  few  unpaid  debts  left  behind.  His  fail- 
ure to  pay  made  a  foreclosure  necessary,  and  consequently  a 
sale.  The  vendors  having  made  repeated  attempts  to  sell  in 
Tsunghwa,  finally  brought  the  family — mother,  two  sons, 
and  one  daughter — to  Canton,  and  exposed  them  for  sale 
near  one  of  the  gates.  They  were  there  nearly  a  week  before 
the  first  sale  was  made,  and  that  only  included  the  disposal 
of  the  girl  to  the  keeper  of  a  brothel  iu  Hainan  for  thirty- 
three  dollars  and  seventy-five  cents.  Two  days  after,  the 
youngest  son,  twelve  years  of  age,  was  sold  to  a  silk  manu- 
facturer among  the  foreign  population  of  Canton  for  sixty 
dollars.  The  same  day  the  older  son,  who  was  eighteen 
years  of  age  and  quite  intelligent,  attracted  the  attention  of 
a  sea-captain,  who,  out  of  compassion  gave  seventy-six  dol- 
lars for  the  boy  and  put  him  on  board  a  vessel  loading  with 


24  THE  CHINESE  AT  HOME. 

Coolies  for  tlie  southern  ports  of  North  America.  The  ex- 
traordinary low  price  received  for  the  children  made  the 
sale  of  the  mother  necessary,  and,  as  no  Chinaman  wanted 
so  old  a  woman  for  wife  or  mistress,  she  was  purchased  by 
a  speculator,  and  afterwards  '  let  out '  to  European  families 
as  a  nurse;  and  it  was  from  her  and  the  captain  that  I  re- 
ceived the  story  of  the  family's  misfortune. 

"  Several  instances  have  been  known  where  such  families 
have  been  purchased  by  the  agents  of  ships  that  were  wait- 
ing for  a  cargo  of  Chinese,  and  sent  to  America  under  a 
written  contract  to  work  for  the  purchaser  a  certain  length 
of  time  after  their  arrival  in  America;  but  they  were  in- 
structed what  to  say  to  the  Consul,  and  of  course  answered 
in  the  negative  when  asked  by  him  if  they  were  under  any 
contract  to  labor." 


' '  The  sales,  however,  by  emigrants  to  America  form  but 
an  infinitessimal  portion  of  the  great  traffic  in  human  flesh, 
made  necessary  by  poverty  and  two  thousand  years  of  super- 
stitious tyranny." 

In  his  "Middle  Kingdom"  Mr.  "Williams  says: 

"The  proportion  of  slaves  to  free  men  cannot  be  stated, 
but  the  former  have  never  attracted  notice  by  their  numbers, 
nor  excited  dread  by  their  restiveness.  Girls  are  more 
readily  sold  than  boys :  at  Peking  a  healthy  girl  under  twelve 
years  of  age  brings  from  thirty  to  fifty  taels,  rising  to  two 
hundred  and  fifty  or  three  hundred  for  one  of  seventeen  or 
eighteen  years  old.  In  times  of  famine  orphans  or  needy 
children  are  exposed  for  sale  at  the  price  of  a  few  cash." 

Again,  he  says: 

"  Slavery  exists  in  a  modified  form  of  corporeal  mortgage 
for  debt,  and  thousands  remain  in  this  serfdom  for  life 
through  one  reason  or  another." 

But  the  chief  object  of  alluding  thus  at  length  to  the 
question  of  slavery  in  China  at  this  moment  is  to  show  the 
utter  unreliability  of  the  statements  made  by  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Gibson,  who  stands  forward  as  the  champion  advocate  of 
Chinese   immigration,  and  justifies  his   action   by  such   a 


THE  CHINESE  AT  HOME.  25 

clearly   false   presentation   of    facts  as   that    shown   in  liis 
treatment  of  this  branch  of  the  subject. 

Of  all  the  existing  authorities  in  the  English  language 
upon  China,  Williams'  "Middle  Kingdom'  is  perhaps  recog- 
nized as  that  of  the  highest  standard.  And  his  testimony 
of  the  Chinese  character  and  mode  of  life  is  thus  summed 
up  by  him  at  the  close  of  his  first  volume.  After  crediting 
them  with  a  full  resume  of  all  their  virtues,  he  proceeds  as 
follows : 

"When,  however,  these  traits  have  been  mentioned,  the 
Chinese  are  still  more  left  without  excuse  for  their  wickedness, 
since,  being  without  law,  they  are  a  law  unto  themselves; 
they  have  always  known  better  than  they  have  done. 
With  a  general  regard  for  outward  decency,  they  are  vile 
and  polluted  in  a  shocking  degree;  their  conversation  is  full 
of  filthy  expressions,  and  their  lives  of  impure  acts.  They 
are  somewhat  restrained  in  the  latter  by  the  fences  put 
around  the  family  circle,  so  that  seduction  and  adultery  are 
comparatively  infrequent;  the  former  may  even  be  said  to  be 
rare,  but  brothels  and  their  inmates  occur  everywhere  on 
land  and  water.  One  danger  attending  young  girls  going 
abroad  alone  is  that  they  will  be  stolen  for  incarceration  in 
these  gates  of  hell.  By  pictures,  songs  and  aphrodisiacs, 
they  excite  their  sensuality,  and,  as  the  Apostle  says,  '  re- 
ceive in  themselves  that  recompense  of  their  error  which 
is  meet.' 

' '  More  uneradicable  than  the  sins  of  the  flesh  is 
the  falsity  of  the  Chinese,  and  its  attendant  sin  of  base 
ingratitude;  their  disregard  of  truth  has  perhaps  done  more 
to  lower  their  character  than  any  other  fault.  They  feel  no 
shame  at  being  detected  in  a  lie  (though  they  have  not  gone 
quite  so  far  as  not  to  know  when  they  do  lie),  nor  do  they  fear 
any  punishment  from  their  gods  for  it.  On  the  other  hand, 
the  necessity  of  the  case  compels  them,  in  their  daily  inter- 
course with  each  other,  to  pay  some  regard  to  truth,  and 
each  man,  from  his  own  consciousness,  knows  just  about 
how  much  to  expect.  Ambassadors  and  merchants  have 
not  been  in  the  best  position  to  ascertain  their  real 
character  in  this  respect,  for  on  the  one  side,  the  courtiers 
of   Peking  thought  themselves  called  upon,  by   the   mere 


26  THE  CHINESE  AT  HOME. 

presence  of  an  embassy,  to  put  on  some  fictitious  appearances, 
and  on  the  other  the  integrity  and  fair  dealing  of  the  hong 
merchants  and  great  traders  at  Canton  is  in  advance  of  the 
usual  mercantile  honesty  of  their  countrymen.  A  Chinese 
requires  but  little  motive  to  falsify,  and  he  is  constantly 
sharpening  his  wits  to  cozen  his  customer,  wheedle  him  by 
promises,  and  cheat  him  in  goods  or  work.  There  is  nothing 
which  tires  one  so  much  when  living  among  them  as  their 
disregard  of  truth,  and  renders  him  so  indifferent  as  to 
what  calamities  may  befall  so  metidacious  a  race;  an  abiding 
impression  of  suspicion  toward  everybody  rests  upon  the 
mind,  which  chills  the  warmest  wishes  for  their  welfare  and 
thwarts  many  a  plan  to  benefit  them.  Their  better  traits 
diminish  in  the  distance,  and  patience  is  exhausted  in  its 
daily  proximity  and  friction  with  this  ancestor  of  all  sins. 
Mr.  Abeel  mentions  a  case  of  deceit  which  may  serve  as  a 
specimen. 

' '  Soon  after  we  arrived  at  Kulang  Su,  a  man  came  to  us 
who  professed  to  be  the  near  relation  and  guardian  of  the 
owners  of  the  house  in  which  we  live,  and  presented  a  little 
boy  as  the  joint  proprietor  with  his  widowed  mother.  From 
the  appearance  of  the  house  and  the  testimony  of  others,  we 
could  easily  credit  his  story  that  the  family  were  now  in  re- 
duced circumstances,  having  not  only  lost  the  house  when 
the  English  attacked  the  place,  but  a  thousand  dollars  be- 
sides, by  native  robbers;  we  therefore  allowed  him  a  small 
rent,  and  gave  the  dollars  to  the  man,  who  put  them  into  the 
hands  of  the  child.  The  next  month  he  made  his  appear- 
ance; but  our  servant,  whom  we  had  taken  to  be  peculiarly 
honest  for  a  heathen,  suggested  the  propriety  of  inquiring 
whether  the  money  was  ever  given  to  those  for  whom  it  was 
professedly  received,  and  soon  returned  with  the  informa- 
tion that  the  mother  had  heard  nothing  of  the  money,  the 
man  who  received  it  not  living  in  the  family,  but  had  now 
sent  a  lad  to  us  who  would  receive  it  for  her,  and  who,  our 
servant  assured  us,  would  give  it  to  the  proper  person.  A 
day  or  two  afterward  our  cook  whispered  to  me  that  our 
honest  servant  who  had  taken  so  much  pains  to  prevent  all 
fraud  in  the  matter  bad  made  the  lad  give  him  one-half  the 
money  for  his  disinterestedness  in  preventing  it  from  falling 
into  improper  hands;  and  further  examination  showed  us 
that  this  very  cook  had  himself  received  a  good  share  to 
keep  silent.' 


THE  CHINESE  AT  HOME.  27 

"Thieving  is  exceedingly  common,  and  the  illegal  exac- 
tions of  the  rulers,  as  has  already  been  sufficiently  pointed 
out,  are  most  burdensome.  This  vice,  too,  is  somewhat  re- 
strained by  the  punishments  inflicted  on  criminals,  though 
the  root  of  the  evil  is  not  touched.  While  the  licentiousness 
of  the  Chinese  may  be  in  part  ascribed  to  their  ignorance  of 
pure  intellectual  pleasures  and  the  want  of  virtuous  female 
society,  so  may  their  lying  be  attributed  partly  to  their 
truckling  fear  of  officers,  and  their  thievery  to  the  want  of 
sufficient  food  or  work.  Hospitality  is  not  a  trait  of  their 
character;  on  the  contrary,  the  number  and  wretched  condi- 
tion of  the  beggars  show  that  public  and  private  charity  is 
almost  extinct;  yet  here,  too,  the  sweeping  charge  must  be 
modified  when  we  remember  the  efforts  they  make  to  sustain 
their  relatives  and  families  in  so  densely  peopled  a  country. 
Their  avarice  is  not  so  distinguishing  a  feature  as  their  love 
of  money;  but  the  industry  which  this  desire  induces  or 
presupposes  is  the  source  of  most  of  their  superiority  to 
their  neighbors.  The  politeness  w^hich  they  exhibit  seldom 
has  its  motive  in  good-will,  and  consequently  when  the  var- 
nish is  off",  the  rudeness,  brutality,  and  coarseness  of 
the  material  is  seen;  still,  among  themselves,  this  exterior 
polish  is  not  without  some  good  results  in  preventing  quar- 
rels, where  both  parties,  fully  understanding  each  other,  are 
careful  not  to  overpass  the  bounds  of  etiquette. 

"  On  the  whole,  the  Chinese  present  a  singular  mixture. 
If  there  is  something  to  commend  there  is  more  to  blame; 
if  they  have  some  glaring  vices  they  have  more  virtues  than 
most  pagan  nations.  Ostentatious  kindness  and  inbred  sus- 
picion, ceremonious  civility  and  real  rudeness,  partial  inven- 
tion and  servile  imitation,  industry  and  waste,  sycophancy 
and  self-dependence,  are,  with  other  dark  and  bright  quali- 
ties, strangely  blended.  In  trying  to  remedy  the  faults  of 
their  character  by  the  restraints  of  law  and  the  diffusion  of 
education,  they  have  no  doubt  hit  upon  the  right  mode;  and 
their  shortcomings  show  how  ineffectual  both  must  be  until 
the  Gospel  comes  to  the  aid  of  ruler  and  subject  in  elevating 
the  moral  sense  of  tLe  whole  nation.  Female  infanticide,  in 
some  parts  openly  confessed  and  divested  of  all  disgrace 
and  penalties  everywhere;  the  dreadful  prevalence  of  all  the 
vices  charged  by  the  Apostle  Paul  upon  the  ancient  heathen 
world ;  the  alarming  extent  of  the  use  of  opium  (furnished, 
too,  under   the   patronage   and   supplied   in   purity  by  the 


28  THE  CHINESE  AT  HOME. 

pov/er  and  skill  of  Great  Britian  from  India),  destroying  the 
prodnctions  and  natural  resources  of  the  people;  the  univer- 
sal practice  of  lying  and  dishonest  dealings;  the  unblushing 
lewdness  of  old  and  young;  harsh  cruelty  toward  prisoners 
by  officers;  and  tyranny  over  slaves  by  masters — all  form 
a  full,  unchecked  torrent  of  human  depravity,  and  prove  the 
existence  of  a  kind  and  degree  of  moral  degradation  of  which 
an  excessive  statement  can  scarcely  be  made,  or  an  ade- 
quate conception  hardly  be  formed." 

Bayard  Taylor  says  of  thera  in  his  work  entitled  '  'India, 
China,  and  Japan,"  published  in  1855 

"It  is  my  deliberate  opinion  that  the  Chinese  are,  mor- 
ally, the  most  debased  people  on  the  face  of  the  earth. 
Forms  of  vice,  which  in  other  countries  are  barely  named,  are 
in  China  so  commen  that  they  excite  no  comment  among  the 
natives.  They  constitute  the  surface  level,  and  below  them 
are  deeps  and  deeps  of  depravity  so  shocking  and  horrible 
that  their  character  cannot  even  be  hinted.  There  are 
some  dark  shadows  in  human  nature  which  we  naturally 
shrink  from  penetrating,  and  I  made  no  attempt  to  collect 
information  of  this  kind;  but  there  was  enough  in  the  things 
Avhich  I  could  not  avoid  seeing  and  hearing — which  are 
brought  almost  daily  to  the  notice  of  every  foreign  resident — 
to  inspire  me  with  a  poweful  aversion  of  the  Chinese  race. 
Tlieir  touch  is  pollution,  and,  harsh  as  the  opinion  may 
seem,  justice  to  our  oion  race  demands  that  they  shoidd  not  he  al- 
loioed  to  settle  on  our  soil.  Science  may  have  lost  something, 
but  mankind  has  gained,  by  the  exclusive  policy  which  has 
governed  China  for  the  past  centuries." 

The  Hon.  Wm.  J.  Shaw  testified  before  the  Legislative 
Investigating  Committee  of  California  in  1875  as  follows : 

"  I  was  also  assured  that  a  very  large  portion  of  the  pop- 
ulation, particularly  the  working  population,  were  simply 
slaves — some  of  slaves  from  birth;  but  as  a  rule,  or  at  least 
in  very  frequent  instances,  they  were  enslaved  in  a  manner 
not  unknown  to  foreign  nations,  being  sold  to  pay  debts. 
A  very  large  portion  of  the  laboring  classes  composes  this 
latter  class." 


THE  CHINESE  AT  HOME.  29 

Pekin,  in  my  opinion,  is  one  of  the  filthiest  cities  to  be 
found.  There  is  what  is  called  a  Chinese  citj  of  Pekin  and 
a  Tartar  city.  The  Chinese  city  is  filthy  to  a  degree  almost 
beyond  belief.  I  have  seen  tricks  perpetrated  in  the  streets 
of  Pekin  proper  that  would  only  be  tolerated  in  brutes  iu 
a  civilized  country.  When  I  was  there  I  wondered  how 
ladies  could  go  into  the  streets  at  all,  and  I  was  told  that 
they  hardly  ever  did;  and  they  never  attempted  to  walkin  the 
streets,  but  when  comj^elled  to  go  out  used  the  convej-ances 
of  that  country.  When  they  wanted  exercise  they  were  car- 
ried to  the  walls  of  the  city,  upon  the  top  of  which  they 
could  walk  without  seeing  sights  that  would  be  disgusting. 
Those  streets  are  filthy  beyond  what  should  ever  be  seen 
among  human  beings.  The  great  mass  of  the  people,  it 
seemed  to  me,  were  ignorant,  and  not  in  a  position  to  be  re- 
moved from  ignorance.  They  have,  it  is  true,  a  system  of 
education,  but  that  system  is  confined  to  certain  books 
Avritten  four  thousand  years  ago.  They  think  there  is  no 
knowledge  anywhere  that  is  not  found  in  those  books,  and, 
as  a  consequence,  their  learning,  from  the  highest  to  the 
lowest,  must  be  very  limited,  according  to  our  ideas." 

In  no  aspect  is  the  moral  nature  and  social  life  of  the 
Chinese  to  be  commended.  Their  very  presence  is  not  only 
debasing  to  all  who  come  in  contact  with  them  because  of 
their  hideous  vices,  but  in  their  daily  intercourse  with  each 
other  they  are  vile  to  the  last  degree.  Mr.  Doolittle,  the 
author  of  ' '  Social  Life  in  China, "  says  very  truly : 

"  One  of  the  best  ways  of  learning  the  real  moral 
condition  of  a  people  is  to  ascertain  how  they  talk  when 
excited  or  exasperated." 

And  he  then  proceeds  to  describe  the  habits  of  the 
Chinese  in  this  respect : 

"  The  Chinese  have  a  large  vocabulary  of  curses,  oaths 
and  imprecations.  On  the  most  trivial  occasions  they,  al- 
most without  exception,  are  in  the  habit  of  imprecating 
upon  those  who  have  excited  their  anger  the  most  direful 
vengeance,  or  expressing  their  feelings  in  the  most  filthy 
language.  Their  common  language,  when  offended  or  in- 
sulted, is  usually  of  the  most  vile   description,  abounding 


30  THE  INHUMANITY  OF  THE  RACE, 

with  indelicate  and  obsceno  allusions.  They  seem  to  stiive 
within  themselves,  as  though  a  wager  were  at  stake,  who 
shall  excel  in  the  use  of  hlthy,  loathsome  and  vindictive 
terms.  It  is  one  of  the  most  common  occurrences  in  the 
public  streets  for  two  or  more  Chinese,  or  parties  of  Chinese, 
to  bandy  back  and  forth  the  most  vulgar  language  and  utter 
the  most  dreadful  curses  on  each  other. 

"  The  Chinese  here  have  a  saying  that  their  'mouths  are 
exceedingly  filthy,'  and  no  one  who  has  acquired  their 
dialect  can  have  the  least  doubt  of  its  truth.  They  have 
another  saying  that  the  '  heart  of  woman  is  superlatively 
poisonous,'  meaning  that  the  language  uttered  by  females, 
when  cursing  others,  is  more  virulent  and  filthy  than  that 
used  by  men.  It  is  not  easy  for  a  foreigner  to  perceive  the 
truth  of  this  saying  when  both  sexes  seem  to  have  arrived 
at  the  highest  attainable  facility  in  heaping  the  vilest  lan- 
guage and  the  most  awful  curses  upon  those  with  whom  they 
happen  to  be  at  variance." 

Such  is  the  testimony  of  the  most  eminent  English  and 
American  authors  who  have  written  upon  China  and  the 
Chinese  from  their  own  experience  and  observation.  Such 
is  the  condition  of  the  "  Chinese  at  Home;"  such  are  the 
people  to  whom  w^e  are  now  urged  by  sentimentalists  and 
religious  enthusiasts  to  open  wide  our  gates,  to  invite  to 
seek  an  asylum  upon  our  shores,  to  be  with  us,  and  of  us, 
to  add  new  spice  and  variety  to  the  Olla-podrida  of  race  mix- 
ture which  now  constitutes  the  nationality  of  the  American 
people. 


CHAPTEK  III. 


THE  INHUMANITY  OP  THE  EACE. 

The  patient  industry,  docility  and  amiability  of  the 
Chinese,  and,  indeed,  every  praiseworthy  trait  of  character 
which  they  possess,  has  been  elaborated  and  commended  by 
writers  upon  China  and  the  Chinese,  until,  from  being  idola- 


THE  INHUMANITY  OF  THE  EACE.  31 

tors  themselves  they  have  too  frequently  been  presented  as 
human  idols  to  be  venerated  for  their  virtues  and  admired 
for  their  genius.  The  inhuman  side  of  their  natures  has 
generally  been  turned  to  the  wall  and  hidden  from  the  pub- 
lic gaze,  except  by  authorities  of  the  high  standard  already 
quoted,  and  to  whom  it  will  again  be  necessary  to  refer,  as 
well  as  to  other  reliable  proofs,  in  dealing  with  the  subject 
of  the  inhumanity  of  the  race. 

It  is  well,  perhaps,  in  discussing  this  branch  of  the  sub- 
ject, to  begin  with  the  so-called  "tribunals  of  justice  "in 
China,  and  their  methods  of  dealing  with  the  criminals  of 
every  degree  that  are  brought  before  them  for  punishment. 
It  will  be  found  that  the  cruelties  practiced  in  their  nefarious 
calling  by  the  criminal  classes  are  more  than  rivaled  by  the 
inhuman  tenor  of  the  criminal  laws,  and  the  barbarous 
methods  of  the  judges  by  whom  they  are  administered, 

M.  I'Abbe  Hue  thus  relates  an  experience  which  befel 
him  in  the  province  of  Hou-pe,  upon  the  occasion  of  enter- 
ing "a  hall  of  justice"  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  an 
interview  with  the  prefect  then  sitting  in  judgment  in  a 
criminal  trial. 

' '  All  eyes  were  immediately  turned  toward  us  and  a 
movement  of  surprise  was  perceptible  throughout  the 
assembly.  Two  men  with  great  beards,  yellow  caps  and 
red  girdles  formed  a  very  surprising  apparition. 

"  i^^or  ourselves,  at  the  first  glance  we  cast  into  the  hall, 
we  felt  a  cold  perspiration  come  over  us  and  our  limbs 
tottered  under  us;  we  were  ready  to  faint.  The  first  object 
that  presented  itself  on  entering  this  Chinese  judgment  hall 
was  the  accused — the  person  on  his  trial. 

"He  was  suspended  in  the  middle  of  the  hall,  like  one 
of  those  lanterns  of  whimsical  form  and  colossal  dimensions 
often  seen  in  the  great  pagodas.  Eopes  attached  to  a  great 
beam  in  the  roof  held  him  tied  by  the  wrists  and  feet  so  as  to 
throw  the  body  into  the  form  of  a  bow.  Beneath.him  stood 
five  or  six  executioners  armed  with  rattan  rods  and  leather 
lashes,  in  ferocious  attitudes,  their  clothes  and  faces  sj)otted 
with  blood,  the  blood  of  the  unfortunate  creature  who  was 


32  THE  INHUMANITY  OF  THE  EACE. 

uttering  stifled  groans,  while  his  flesh  was  torn  almost  in 
tatters.  The  audience  present  at  this  frightful  spectacle 
appeared  quite  at  their  ease,  and  our  yellow  caps  excited 
much  more  emotion  than  the  spectacle  of  torture.  Many 
laughed,  indeed,  at  the  horror  visible  in  our  faces. 

"The  magistrate,  to  whom  our  coming  had  been  hastily 
announced,  rose  from  his  seat  as  soon  as  he  perceived  us, 
and  crossed  the  hall  to  meet  us.  As  he  passed  near  the 
executioners,  he  had  to  walk  on  the  tips  of  his  toes,  and  held 
up  his  beautiful  silk  robes,  that  they  might  not  be  soiled  by 
the  pools  of  half-coagulated  blood  with  which  the  floor  was 
covered.  He  saluted  us  smilingly,  and  saying  he  w^ould 
suspend  the  proceedings  for  a  moment,  conducted  us  to  a 
small  room  situated  behind  the  judge's  seat.  We  sat  down, 
or  rather  we  fell,  upon  a  divan,  and  were  some  moments 
before  we  could  recover  our  composure. 

"The  Prefect  of  Kouaug-tsi-hien  was  nearly  forty  years  of 
age;  his  features,  the  tone  of  his  voice,  his  looks,  his  man- 
ners, all  expressed  so  much  mildness  and  goodness,  that  we 
could  not  recover  from  our  astonishment.  It  seemed  to  us 
impossible  that  this  should  be  the  man  who  had  ordered 
the  frightful  measure  we  had  just  witnessed;  and  so  strong 
a  feeling  of  curiosity  took  possession  of  us,  that  Ave  asked 
whether  we  might,  without  iudiscretion,  put  some  questions 
to  him  concerning  the  terrible  affair  he  was  engaged  in. 

"  'On  the  contrary,'  he  replied,  'I  should  myself  desire 
that  you  should  understand  the  nature  of  this  trial.  You 
appear  to  me  astonished  at  the  extreme  severity  I  have  shown 
toward  the  criminal;  the  torture  he  is  enduring  has  moved 
you  to  compassion.  The  emotions  that  agitated  your  hearts 
on  your  entrance  into  the  hall  mounted  to  your  faces,  and 
became  visible  to  everybody.  But  this  criminal  does  not 
merit  any  consideration;  if  you  knew  his  conduct,  you  would 
certainly  not  think  I  was  treating  him  with  too  much  rigor, 
I  am  naturally  inclined  to  mildness,  and  my  character  is 
averse  from  all  cruelty.  A  magistrate,  also,  must  be  the 
father  and  the  mother  of  his  people.' 

"  'What  great  crime,  then,  has  this  man  committed,  to 
be  subjected  to  so  horrible  a  torture  ?' 

"  'This  man  is  the  chief  of  a  band  of  ruffians,  who,  for 
more  than  a  year  past,  have  been  committing  outrages  on 
the  Great  River,  which  they  were  in  the  habit  of  traversing 
night  and  day  in  a  large  boat.     He  has  pillaged  a  consid- 


THE  INHUMANITY  OF  THE  EACE.  33 

erable  unmber  of  merckants'  junks,  and  committed  more 
than  fifty  murders.  He  has  ended  by  confessing  all  his 
crimes,  and  on  this  point  the  truth  has  been  brought  to 
light;  but  he  persists  in  not  denoimcing  his  companions,  and 
I  am  obliged  to  employ  these  extreme  methods  to  reach  all 
the  guilty.' " 

^  ^  H«  •J'  •«•  ii- 

"  The  magistrate  afterwards  related  to  us  some  abomina- 
ble atrocities  committed  by  this  gang  of  robbers,  of  their 
cutting  out  the  tongues  and  tearing  out  the  eyes  of  men, 
women  and  children,  of  their  cutting  their  prisoners  to 
pieces  with  circumstances  of  horrible  barbarity;  such  were 
the  amusements  in  which  these  monsters  in  human  form  in- 
dulged on  board  their  vessel. 

"  These  details,  frightful  as  they  were,  did  not  surprise 
us.  Our  long  residence  in  China  had  taught  us  to  what  degree 
the  instinct  of  evil  is  developed  among  this  'people.'''' 

The  Abbe  then  relates  how  he  and  his  companion  returned 
to  the  court  room,  where  concealed  behind  a  bamboo  trellis 
work,  which,  by  order  of  the  judge  had  been  let  down  before 
them,  they  witnessed  further  progress  of  the  trial.  The 
suspended  prisoner  not  having  answered  a  question  of  the 
judge  to  his  satisfaction — 

"  The  prefect  took  up  from  the  table  a  piece  of  bamboo 
wood,  and  threw  it  into  the  middle  of  the  court.  A  figure  was 
marked  upon  it,  which  pointed  out  the  number  of  blows  the 
prisoner  was  to  receive.  One  of  the  executioners  picked  it 
up,  examined  the  figure,  and  cried  in  a  chanting  tone,  *  fif- 
teen blows',  that  is  to  say,  the  criminal  would  receive  thirty, 
for  the  executioners  always  double  the  number  ordered  by 
the  judge,  and  this  multijalied  by  the  number  of  executioners, 
furnished  a  frightful  total.  There  was  immediately  a  stir  in 
the  assembly,  all  eyes  were  fixed  with  eager  curiosity,  some- 
times on  the  miserable  prisoner,  sometimes  on  the  execution- 
ers. Many  smiled  and  arranged  themselves  a  little  more 
conveniently  on  their  seats,  like  people  about  to  witness 
something  interesting. 

"  The  executioners  took  their  places,  and  soon  the 
body  of  the  criminal  was  swinging  and  turning  about  under 
the  shower  of  blows,  while  he  uttered  terrible  shrieks,  and 


34  THE  INHUMANITY  OF  THE  RA.CE. 

his  blood  spurted  out  ou  all  sides,  and  ran  down  the  rattans, 
reddening  the  naked  arms  of  the  executioners.  It  was  im- 
possible to  endure  such  a  spectacle  any  longer,  and  we  asked 
one  of  the  officers  of  the  court,  who  had  remained  wdth  us, 
whether  there  was  not  any  way  of  getting  out  without  crossing 
the  hail." 

Such  is  the  course  of  criminal  justice  in  China,  adminis- 
tered by  a  judge  who  says  of  himself:  "  I  am  naturally 
inclined  to  mildness,  and  my  character  is  averse  to  all 
cruelty." 

But  we  have  not  done  with  the  Abbe"s^experiences  in 
this  direction. 

* '  One  day,  when  we  were  passing  along  the  road  leading 
to  Peking,  we  met  a  party  of  soldiers  with  an  officer  at  their 
head,  escorting  a  number  of  carts,  in  which  were  literally 
piled  up  a  crowd  of  Chinese,  who  were  uttering  horrible 
cries.  As  we  stopped  to  allow  these  cart-loads  of  human 
beings  to  pass,  we  were  seized  with  horror  on  perceiving 
that  these  unfortunate  creatures  were  nailed  by  the  hands  to 
the  planks  of  the  cart.  A  satellite  whom  we  interrogated, 
replied  with  frightful  coolness :  '  We've  been  routing  out  a 
nest  of  thieves  in  a  neighboring  village;  we  got  a  good  many 
of  them,  and  as  we  hadn't  brought  chains  enough,  we  were 
obliged  to  contrive  some  way  to  prevent  their  escaping,  so 
you  see  we  nailed  them  by  the  hand. 

"'But  do  not  you  think  there  maybe  some  innocent 
among  them  ?' 

"  '  Who  can  tell?  They  have  not  been  tried  yet.  We  are 
taking  them  to  the  tribunal,  and  by  and  by,  if  there  are  any 
innocent  men  among  them,  they  will  be  separated  from  the 
thieves. 

"The  fellow  seemed  to  think  the  thing  quite  a  matter  of 
course,  and  was  even  a  little  proud  of  the  contrivance. 

"Perhaps  what  was  most  hideous  of  all  in  this  dreadful 
spectacle  w^as  the  mocking  hilarity  of  the  soldiers,  who  were 
pointing  out  to  one  another  with  an  air  of  amusement  the 
contortions  and  grimaces  of  the  miserable  creatures  in  their 
agony  of  pain.  If  a  people  can  exhibit  such  barbarity  as 
this  in  quiet  and  peaceable  times,  it  may  be  imagined  of 
what  excesses  they  are  capable  under  the  excitement  of  rev- 
olution and  civil  war." 


THE  INHUMANITY  OF  THE  RACE.  35 

So  far,  the  testimony  of  M.  I'Abbe  Hue  upon  tlie  inhuman 
side  of  the  Chinese  character.  What  he  has  written  upon 
the  subject  of  infanticide,  and  the  selling  by  parents  of  chil- 
dren into  slavery,  has  already  been  told  in  a  former  chapter, 
but  might  better,  perhaps,  have  found  a  place  here.  Still  it 
need  not  be  repeated.  It  goes  to  the  debit  of  this  people 
"when  we  arraign  them  for  their  inhumanity,  and  is  after  all, 
perhaps,  the  most  inhuman  of  all  the  inhuman  traits  of  char- 
acter which  they  possess.  For  what  can  be  more  inhuman — 
this  bloody  picture  of  torture  not  excepted — than  the  crime 
of  infanticide  and  the  selling  of  children  into  hopeless 
slavery?  But  let  us  call  the  next  witness.  Mr.  Gray,  in  his 
"History  of  the  Laws,  Manners  and  Customs  of  the  People 
of  China,"  says,  in  speaking  of  the  prisons* 

"  They  are  polluted  with  vermin  and  filth  of  almost  every 
kind,  and  the  prisoners  seldom  or  never  have  an  opportunity 
afforded  them  of  washing  their  bodies,  or  even  of  dressing 
their  hair,  water  in  Chinese  prisons  being  a  scarce  commod- 
ity, and  hair  combs  articles  almost  unknown.  In  each  cell 
are  placed  large  tubs  for  the  use  of  prisoners;  and  it  is  diffi- 
cult to  conceive  how  human  beings  can  breathe  the  stench, 
for  the  air  seems  nothing  else,  which  arises  from  these  tubs, 
more  particularly  during  the  hot  season." 

4:  ^H  ♦  sj:  :J:  ^ 

"There  is  a  law  which  admits  of  the  seizure  and  deten- 
tion '  as  hostages '  of  families,  members  of  which,  having 
broken  the  laws  of  the  Empire,  have  fled  from  justice.  Such 
hostages  are  not  liberated  until  the  offending  relatives  have 
been  secured,  and  consequently  they  are  not  unfrequently 
imprisoned  during  a  period  of  five,  ten  or  twenty  years.  In- 
deed, many  of  them  pass  the  period  of  their  natural  lives  in 
captivity.  Thus  the  mother,  or  aunt,  of  Hung  Sow-tsuen, 
the  leader  of  the  Taiping  Eebellion,  died,  after  an  imprison- 
ment of  several  years,  in  the  prison  of  the  Namhoi  magis- 
trate at  Canton.  During  her  captivity  I  frequently  visited  the 
unoffending  old  woman,  and  grievously  indeed  did  she  feel 
her  imprisonment,  for  no  crime  or  offense  of  her  own.  Should 
the  crime  of  the  fugitive  b^e  a  very  aggravated  and  heinous 
one,  such,  for  example,  as  an  attempt  upon  the  life  of  the 


36  THE  INHUMANITY  OP  THE  RACE. 

Sovereign  of  the  Empire,  it  is  not  unusual  to  put  tlie  im- 
mediate, although  perfectly  innocent,  relations  of  the  of- 
fender to  death,  whilst  those  who  are  not  so  nearly  related 
to  him  are  sent  into  exile.  In  1803  an  attempt  was  made 
to  assassinate  the  Emperor  Kahing.  The  assassin  was  no 
sooner  apprehended  than  he  was  sentenced  to  be  put  to 
death  by  torture,  and  his  sons,  who  were  in  the  happy  days  of 
childhood,  were  put  to  death  by  strangling." 

:;:  ■.'::  :i:  ^  :':••  ♦ 

"In  the  month  of  March,  1859,  I  saw,  in  the  dead-house 
attached  to  the  prison  of  the  Pun-yu  magistrate  of  Canton, 
five  dead  bodies,  all  with  the  appearance  of  death  from  star- 
vation— a  capital  punishment  which  Chinese  rulers  not 
uufrequently  inflict  upon  kidnappers  and  other  grave  of- 
fenders. " 

t-ji  ^  sf;  ^  ^  ^ 

'*  In  not  a  few  cases  I  have  seen  these  houses  [of  deten- 
tion] so  densely  crowded  as  to  remind  me  of  the  heart-rend- 
ing history  of  the  Black  Hole  in  Calcutta.  I  had  an  opportu- 
nity of  inspecting  one  of  these  '  lock-ups '  in  the  hot  month  of 
August,  1861.  It  was  crowded  to  excess,  and — certainly 
not  to  my  astonishment,  for  the  heat  was  intense — all  of  the 
prisoners  were  in  a  state  of  complete  nudity.  Had  as  many 
Europeans  been  incarcerated  in  so  small  a  cell,  they  must 
all  have  inevitably  perished." 

Again,  in  speaking  of  a  village  near  Canton  which  had 
been  entered  by  Imperialist  troops  engaged  in  the  suppres- 
sion of  a  rebellion,  Mr.  Gray  says : 

**  During  this  rebellion  the  Imperialist  forces,  who  had 
driven  the  rebels  from  several  villages  in  the  vicinity  of  Can- 
ton, proceeded  to  cut  off  the  ears  of  many  of  the  innocent  and 
unoffending  villagers,  asserting  that  they  ought  not  to  have 
allowed  the  rebels  to  enter.  In  one  of  these  villages  which 
I  visited  I  saw  not  only  men  but  boys  of  ten  or  twelve  years 
of  ago  who  had  been  treated  in  this  brutal  manner.  I  had 
my  attention  also  directed  to  a  very  aged  man  who  had  been 
cruelly  scalped;  and,  upon  leaving  the  village,  a  man  who 
was  following  me  took  me  to  a  place  beyond  its  precincts 
where  three  headless  human  bodies  were  lying.  They  were 
peasants,  who,  for  no  offense  whatever,  had  been  decapitated 
by  the  brutal  soldiers." 


THE  INHUMANITY  OF  THE  RACE.  37 

* 'Again,  when  the  city  of  Canton  was  recaptured  in  1854, 
several  of  the  insurgents  were  punished  for  their  sedition  in 
a  very  singular  manner.  The  infuriated  royalists,  with  the 
view  of  marking  their  prisoners-of-war  for  life,  cut  the  prin- 
cipal sinew  of  the  neck  of  each,  so  that  his  head  inclined 
towards  the  shoulcler. 

"For  capital  and  other  offenses  of  a  serious  nature  there 
are  six  classes  of  punishments.  The  lirst  class  is  called 
Ling-chee.  It  is  inflicted  upon  traitors,  ]3arricides,  matri- 
cides, fratricides,  and  murderers  of  husbands,  uncles,  and 
tutors.  The  criminal  is  bound  to  a  cross,  and  cut  either 
into  one  hundred  and  twenty,  or  seventy-two,  or  thirty-six, 
or  twenty-four  pieces.  Should  there  be  extenuating  circum- 
stances, his  body,  as  a  mark  of  imperial  clemency,  is  divided 
into  eight  portions  only.  The  punishment  of  twenty -four 
cuts  is  inflicted  as  follows :  the  first  and  second  cuts  remove 
the  eyebrows;  the  third  and  fourth  the  shoulders;  the  fifth 
and  sixth  thelDreasts;  the  seventh  and  eighth  the  parts  be- 
tween each  hand  and  elbow;  the  ninth  and  tenth  the  parts 
between  each  elbow  and  shoulder;  the  eleventh  and  twelfth 
the  flesh  of  each  thigh;  the  thirteenth  and  fourteenth  the 
calf  of  each  leg;  the  fifteenth  pierces  the  heart;  the  sixteenth 
severs  the  head  from  the  body;  the  seventeenth  and  eigh- 
teenth cut  off  the  hands;  the  nineteenth  and  twentieth  the 
arms;  the  twenty-first  and  twenty-second  the  feet;  the  twen- 
ty-third and  twenty-fourth  the  legs.  That  of  the  eight  cuts 
is  inflicted  is  follows:  the  first  and  second  cuts  remove  the 
eyebrows;  the  third  and  fourth  the  shoulders;  the  fifth  and 
sixth  the  breasts;  the  seventh  pierces  the  heart;  the  eighth 
severs  the  head  from  the  body.  A  great  many  political 
offenders  underwent  executions  of  the  first  class  at  Canton 
during  the  Vice-royalty  of  his  Excellency  Yeh.  On  the  14th 
day  of  December,  1864,  the  famous  Hakka  rebel  leader,  Tai- 
Chee-kwei  by  name,  was  put  to  death  at  Canton  in  this  man- 
ner. I  most  inadvertently  visited  the  execution  ground  five 
minutes  after  the  criminal  had  been  thus  put  to  death  by 
torture,  and  I  saw  tha  fragments  of  his  remains  scattered 
over  a  portion  of  this  renowned  Aceldama.  His  hands  and 
feet  were  amongst  the  most  conspicuous  portion  of  his  re- 
mains." 

Mr.  Williams,  in  his  "Middle  Kingdom,"  adds  his  con- 
tribution of  testimony  as  follows : 


38  THE  INHUMANITY  OF  THE  RACE. 

"Among  the  modes  of  torture  employed  in  court,  and 
reported  in  the  Gazette,  are  some  revolting  to  humanity,  but 
which  of  them  are  legal  does  not  appear.  The  clauses  under 
Section  1,  in  the  Code,  describe  the  legal  instruments  of 
torture;  they  consist  of  three  boards,  with  proper  grooves  for 
compressing  the  ankles,  and  five  round  sticks  for  squeezing 
the  fingers,  to  which  may  be  added  the  bamboo;  besides 
these  no  instruments  of  torture  are  legally  allowed,  though 
other  ways  of  putting  the  question  are  so  common  as  to  give 
the  impression  that  some  of  them,  at  least,  are  sanctioned. 
Pulling,  or  twisting  the  ears  with  roughened  fingers,  and 
keeping  them  in  a  bent  position  while  making  the  prisoner 
kneel  on  chains,  or  making  him  kneel  for  a  long  time,  are 
among  the  illegal  modes .  Striking  the  lij^s  with  sticks  un- 
til they  are  nearly  jellied,  putting  the  hands  in  stocks 
before  or  behind  the  back,  wrapping  the  fingers  in  oiled 
cloth  to  burn  them,  suspending  the  body  by  the  thumbs  and 
fingers,  tying  the  hands  to  a  bar  under  the  knees  so  as  to 
bend  the  body  double,  and  chaining  by  the  neck  close  to  a 
stone,  are  resorted  to  when  the  prisoner  is  contumaceous. 
One  magistrate  is  accused  of  having  fastened  up  two  crim- 
inals to  boards  by  nails  driven  through  their  palms;  one  of 
them  tore  his  hands  loose,  and  was  nailed  up  again,  which 
caused  his  death;  using  beds  of  iron,  boiling  water,  red-hot 
spikes,  and  cutting  the  tendon  Achilles,  are  also  charged 
against  him;  but  the  Emperor  exonerated  him  on  account 
of  the  atrocious  character  of  the  criminals.  Compelling 
them  to  kneel  upon  pounded  glass  and  salt  mixed  together 
until  the  knees  became  excoriated,  or  simply  kneeling  upon 
chains,  is  a  lighter  mode  of  the  same  inlliction.  Mr.  Milne 
mentions  seeing  a  wi'etch  undergoing  this  torture,  his  hands 
tied  behind  his  back  to  a  stake  held  in  its  position  by  two 
policemen;  if  he  swerved  to  relieve  the  agony  of  his  position, 
a  blow  on  his  head  compelled  him  to  resume  it.  The 
agonies  of  the  poor  creature  were  evident  from  his  quivering 
lips,  his  pallid  and  senseless  countenance,  and  his  tremulous 
voice  imploring  relief,  which  was  refused  with  a  cold,  mock- 
ing command,  "  Suffer  or  confess." 

Eobert  K.  Douglas,  of  the  British  Museum,  Professor  of 
Chinese  at  King's  College,  London,  and  author  of  a  late 
work  on  China,  upon  the  subject  of  the  inhumanity  of  the 
Chinese,  furnishes  the  following:  evidence : 


THE  INHUMANITY  OP  THE  ilACE.  39 

'*  But  the  greatest  blot  on  Chinese  administration  is  the 
inhumanity  shown  to  both  culprits  and  witnesses  in  crim- 
inal procedure.  Tortures  of  the  most  painful  and  revolting 
kind  are  used  to  extort  evidence,  and  punishments  scarcely 
more  severely  cruel  are  inflicted  on  the  guilty  parties. 
Flogging  with  bamboos  on  the  hind  part  of  the  thighs  or 
between  the  shoulders,  beating  the  jaws  with  thick  pieces  of 
leather,  or  the  ankles  with  a  stick,  are  some  of  the  prelimi- 
nary tortures  applied  to  witnesses  or  culprits  who  refuse  to 
give  the  evidence  expected  of  them.  Further  refinements  of 
cruelty  are  reserved  for  hardened  offenders,  by  means  of 
which  infinite  pain  and  often  permanent  injury  are  in- 
flicted on  the  knee-joints,  fingers,  ankles,  etc.  Occasionally 
the  tortures  pass  the  limits  of  endurance,  and  death  releases 
"the  victim  from  his  miseries;  but  as  a  rule,  in  the  'severe 
question,'  life  is  preserved,  but  at  the  expense  of  crippled 
limbs. 

:5:  Hs  *  ♦  Hi  * 

"  It  follows,  as  a  natural  consequence,  that  in  a  country 
where  torture  is  thus  resorted  to,  the  punishments  inflicted 
on  criminals  must  be  proportionately  cruel.  Death,  the 
final  j)unishment,  can  unfortunately  be  inflicted  in  various 
ways,  and  a  sliding,  scale  of  such  executions  is  used  by  the 
Chinese  to  mark  their  sense  of  the  varying  heinousness  of 
murderous  crimes.  For  parricide,  matricide,  and  wholesale 
murders,  the  usual  sentence  is  that  of  Ling  die,  or  ignomin- 
ious and  slow  death.  In  the  carrying  out  of  this  sentence, 
the  culprit  is  fastened  to  a  cross,  and  cuts,  varying  in  num- 
ber, at  the  discretion  of  the  judge,  from  eight  to  a  hundred 
and  twenty,  are  made  first  on  the  face  and  fleshy  parts  of  the 
body;  next  the  heart  is  pierced,  and  finally,  when  death  has 
been  thus  caused,  the  limbs  are  separated  from  the  body 
and  divided.  During  the  year  1877,  ten  cases  in  which  this 
punishment  was  inflicted  w^ere  reported  in  the  Peking  Gazette, 
in  one  of  which,  shocking  to  say,  a  lunatic  was  the  sufferer,  a 
circumstance  which  adds  a  weird  horror  to  the  ghastly  scejie. 

:;:  rjJ  :i:  :;:  :i:  sH 

"  It  is  almost  impossible  to  exaggerate  the  horrors  of  a 
Chiuese  prison.  The  filth  and  dirt  of  the  rooms,  the  bru- 
tality of  the  jailors,  the  miserable  diet,  and  the  entire 
absence  of  the  commonest  sanitary  arrangements,  make  a 
picture  too  horrible  to  draw  in  detail." 


40  THE  INHUMANITY  OP  THE  RACE. 

In  1860,  Sir  Henry  Parkes  and  Mr.  Loch,  two  English- 
men, were  treacherously  taken  prisoners,  and  confined  in 
the  prison  of  the  Board  of  Punishments  at  Peking.  In  Mr. 
Loch's  "  Narrative  of  Events  in  China,"  he  describes  their 
treatment  thus: 

"  The  discipline  of  the  prison  was  in  itself  not  very 
strict,  and  had  it  not  been  for  the  starvation,  the  pain  aris- 
ing from  the  cramped  position  in  which  the  chains  and  ropes 
retained  the  arms  and  legs,  with  the  heavy  drag  of  the  iron 
collar  on  the  bones  of  the  spine,  and  the  creeping  vermin 
that  infested  every  place,  together  with  the  occasianal  beat- 
ings and  tortures  which  the  prisoners  were,  from  time  to 
time  taken  away  for  a  few  hours  to  endure,  returning  with 
bleeding  legs  and  bodies,  and  so  weak  as  to  be  scarce  able  to 
crawl — there  was  no  great  hardship  to  be  endured  .  .  .  There 
is  a  small  maggot  which  appears  to  infest  all  Chinese  prisons; 
the  earth,  at  the  depth  of  a  few  inches,  swarms  with  them; 
they  are  the  scourge  most  dreaded  by  every  poor  prisoner. 
Eew  enter  a  Chinese  jail  who  have  not  on  their  bodies  or 
limbs  some  wounds,  either  inflicted  by  blows  to  which  they 
have  become  subjected,  or  caused  by  the  manner  in  which 
they  have  been  bound;  the  instinct  of  the  insect  to  which  I 
allude,  appears  to  lead  him  direct  to  these  wounds.  Bound 
and  helpless,  the  poor  wretch  cannot  save  himself  from  their 
approach,  although  he  knows  full  well  that  if  they  once 
succeed  in  reaching  his  lacerated  skin,  there  is  the  cer- 
tainty of  a  fearful,  lingering  and  anguishing  death  before 
him." 

Mr.  Douglass,  after  quoting  the  foregoing  extract  from  the 
narrative  of  Mr.  Loch,  proceeds  as  follows : 

**  In  the  provincial  prisons,  the  condition  of  the  wretched 
culprits  is  even  worse  than  in  those  of  the  Board  of  Pun- 
ishments. Those  who  were  present  at  the  first  inspection  of 
the  Canton  prison,  after  the  taking  of  that  city  in  1859,  will 
never  forget  the  sight  which  met  their  gaze.  As  the 
wretched  creatures  were  dragged  out  into  the  light  of  day, 
and  the  full  horror  of  their  condition  became  apparent, 
English  soldiers  who  were  present  wept  as  they  had  not 
wept  since  they  were  children,  at  the  sight  of  such  unutter- 
able suffering.     There   is   no  reason   to    suppose   that   the 


THE  INHUMANITY  OP  THE  RACE.  41 

Canton  prisons  are  not  typical  of  others  throughout  the 
Empire;  on  the  contrary,  the  gross  neglect  and  abominable 
cruelty  of  magistrates  and  jailors,  which  are  occasionally 
shown  up  in  the  Peking  Gazette,  point  to  the  conclusion 
that  other  jails  are  as  foul,  and  other  wardens  are  as 
brutal  even,  as  those  of  Canton." 

But  why  prolong  this  tale  of  horrors  ?  Enough  has  been 
shown  to  convince  every  honest-minded  man  that  this  is  a 
race  whose  inhuman  instincts  are  not  surpassed  by  those  of 
the  American  savage;  that  it  permeates  every  class,  from 
the  highest  to  the  lowest;  that  their  so-called  tribunals  of 
justice  are  but  torture-chambers;  that  their  criminal  laAvs 
are  but  the  refinement  of  cruelty,  and  the  very  natures  of 
the  people  the  essence  of  stoical,  cold-blooded  brutality. 
Without  religion  themselves,  they  are  but  demons  in  their 
hatred  of  Christianity,  as  they  have  shown  themselves  to  be 
upon  hundreds  of  occasions,  in  all  of  which  their  brutal 
cruelty  and  unparalleled  inhumanity  have  been  exemplified 
in  the  most  thrilling  manner.  Take  the  massacre  of  Tein- 
tsin,  on  the  21st  of  June,  1870,  and  which  was  thus  described 
by  a  writer  familiar  with  the  facts : 

"The  French  Consul  and  foreign  merchants,  their  wives, 
daughters  and  children;  the  Catholic  priests  and  the  Sisters 
of  Mercy,  and  about  one  hundred  orphan  children,  were 
cruelly  murdered.  These  children  had  been  gathered  by  the 
Sisters  from  the  by-ways  of  the  town,  where  they  had  been 
left  to  die  by  their  mothers.  The  Coolies  set  fire  to  the 
building  occupied  by  the  Sisters,  whom  they  dragged  into 
the  streets.  There  they  were  stripped  naked,  outraged,  ex- 
posed to  the  public  gaze,  their  eyes  plucked  out,  their  breasts 
cut  off,  then  ripped  open,  tore  out  their  hearts,  and  delib- 
erately cut  them  in  pieces  and  divided  the  fragments  among 
the  infuriated  mob ." 

The  Author  of  ''Twelve  Tears  in  China,"  "A  British 
Resident,"  Edinburgh,  1860,  says: 

"Justice  is  depicted  blind,  but  in  China  the  bandage 
that  darkens  the  eyes  should  cover  the  ears  also.  The 
horrors  of   a   Chinese  prison  are  so  great   that  prisoners. 


42  THE  INHUMANITY  OF  THE  RACE. 

deeming  deatli  an  escape,  go  with,  apparent  contentmeni;  to 
the  place  of  execution.  In  Shanghai  I  have  seen  them 
crammed  like  wild  beasts  in  a  cage,  rolling  about  in  the 
midst  of  filth  and  disease,  begging  for  food.  In  the  depth 
of  winter  prisoners  are  chained  to  each  other  in  strings, 
one  of  them  not  unfrequently  hanging  dead  to  his  comrades. 
Once  a  party  of  pirates  were  seized  and  landed  near  the  for- 
eign houses;  there  had  been  a  deficiency  of  chains,  so  the 
poor  wretches  were  joined  together  with  a  large  nail 
clenched  through  the  hand  of  each.  At  Foochow,  I  met  a 
prisoner  whom  they  were  carrying  into  the  city  in  a  cage 
barely  large  enough  to  contain  his  body,  cramped  up  in  a 
sitting  posture;  two  of  the  bars  at  the  top  had  been  cut  to 
allow  his  head  to  pass  through,  every  jostle  or  step  in  the 
movement  of  his  bearers  causing  his  face  to  be  dashed 
against  the  broken  bars.  It  is  in  the  recollection  of  Canton 
residents  when  four  men  were  placed  in  the  cangue,  with  a 
guard  around  them,  and  publicly  starved  to  deatli  in  the 
open  streets." 

Mr.  Doolittle,  in  his  "Social  Life  of  the  Chinese,"  here- 
tofore referred  to,  says,  in  speaking  of  "Imprisonment:" 

* '  This  kind  of  punishment,  except  in  the  case  of  those 
who  are  rich  or  who  have  rich  friends  willing  to  bribe  the 
jailors  to  treat  them  well,  is  awful  and  revolting  beyond 
description.  Insufficient  and  vile  food  is  given  them,  and 
horrible  tortures  unknown  to  the  laws  inflicted. 

*  *  *  *  45-  *  -Sfr 

"  Beheading  convicts,  of  two  methods,  diiferingin  degree 
of  ignominy:  One  is  that  of  simply  striking  off  the  head  of 
the  wretch  at  one  blow,  while  kneeling,  with  his  hands  tied 
behind  him,  and  while  bending  down  his  head.  The  other 
is  that  where  the  body  of  the  victim  is  mangled  or  cut  in 
several  places  previous  to  his  head  being  struck  off.  This  is 
called  'cutting  into  small  pieces''  It  is  described  as  cutting 
into  the  eyebrows  or  over  the  eyes,  the  cheeks,  the  fleshy 
part  of  the  arms  and  the  breasts  in  such  a  way  that  the  skin 
of  the  flesh  in  these  different  places  will  hang  down.  Then 
a  stab  is  made  with  the  sword  by  the  executioner  into  the 
abdomen,  which  is  followed  by  cutting  off  the  head. 

■55-  -Sfr  -s?-  *  *  *  * 

"  Women  who  are  condemned  tb  die  as  a  punishment  for 


THE  INHUMANITY  OP  THE  RACE.  43 

committing  adu]teiy   are  oftentimes  made   to   suffer  death 
this  way." 

Mr.  Doolittle  fui'ther  testifies  on  the  subject  of  the  hor- 
ribly inhuman  practice  of  infanticide: 

"In  the  farming  districts  in  the  neighboring  country  the 
family  which  has  several  girls  born  to  it  destroys  all  after 
one  or  two,  unless  some  of  their  acquaintances  desire  them 
to  bring  uj)  as  future  wives  of  their  boys.  In  this  city 
[Fuhchau]  the  custom  of  killing  girls  at  birth  is  probably 
not  so  universal  as  in  the  country.  Some  intelligent  Chinese 
estimate  that  the  probable  proportion  of  city  families  which 
destroy  one  or  more  of  their  female  children,  in  case  they 
have  several,  and  do  not  have  good  opportunities  of  giving 
them  awav  to  be  the  wives  of  their  friends,  as  about  one- 
half. 

*  *  *  -x-  *  *  * 

"The  principal  methods  of  depriving  the  unfortunates  of 
life  are  these :  By  drowning  in  a  tub  of  water,  by  throwing 
into  some  running  stream,  or  by  burying  alive.  The  latter 
method  is  affirmed  to  be  selected  by  a  few  families  in  the 
country  under  the  belief  that  their  next  child  will  be  a  boy. 
The  most  common  way  is  the  first  mentioned.  The  person 
who  usually  performs  the  murderous  act  is  the  father  of  the 
child. 

•H-  -Jfr  *  ^  *  *  ^ 

"The  professed  reason  for  the  destruction  of  female  in- 
fants by  poor  people  is  their  poverty. 

¥r  ¥:  ^  it  ^  ^  ^ 

"  Poverty  is  no  excuse  for  the  drowning  of  the  female 
children  of  the  rich.  But  that  infanticide  is  practiced  quite 
frequently  by  wealthy  families  rests  on  the  most  explicit  and 
ample  testimony,  the  observation  and  the  admission  of  their 
neighbors  and  their  countrymen.  One  of  the  female  ser- 
vants above  mentioned  states  that  in  the  native  wealthy 
family  where  she  was  employed  before  she  came  to  labor  in 
the  missionary's  family,  one  girl  had  been  already  destroyed, 
two  had  been  kept  alive,  and  it  was  understood  that  if  the 
last  child  had  been  a  girl  it  would  also  have  been  destroyed, 
for  the  simple  reason  that  more  girls  in  the  family  were  not 
desired.  The  rich  here  usually  destroy  the  girls  born  to 
them  after  they  have  the  number  they  wish  to  keep  and 
rear." 


44  THE  INHUilANITY  OF  THE  RACE. 

It  is  proved,  then,  by  such  an  accumulation  of  evidence 
as  to  put  it  beyond  question,  that  satanic  cruelty  and  inhu- 
manity are  an  inseparable  trait  of  character  of  the  Chinese 
race;  for  in  one  form  or  another  it  permeates  every  class. 
The  poor  sell  their  own  flesh  and  blood  into  slavery,  and 
look  on  at  the  practice  of  these  cruelties,  perpetrated  in  the 
name  of  the  law  and  by  the  officials  of  the  law,  with  the  same 
degree  of  cold-blooded  interest  and  satisfaction  that  more 
civilized  people  exhibit  upon  occasions  of  theatrical  or 
other  like  displays.  The  rich,  the  law-makers,  and  every 
class,  in  fact,  sanction  these  hellish  practices,  and  through 
all  and  among  all,  indifference  to  human  suffering  is  a  race 
characteristic  equally  as  well  marked  as  is  the  type  of  form 
and  feature  by  which  they  are  known.  As  a  race  they  are 
without  pity.  Whatever  disguise  of  gentleness  and  docility 
they  may  wear,  as  a  people  they  are  proved  to  be  monsters. 
The  rich  and  poor  alike  destroy  the  lives  of  their  female 
children  with  as  little  display  of  parental  feeling  or  com- 
punction of  conscience  as  would  be  exhibited  if  they  were 
puppy  dogs;  and,  indeed,  it  may  well  be  believed  that  under 
some  phases  of  the  Buddhist  doctrine  of  metempsychosis  the 
destruction  of  the  life  of  the  latter  would  be  looked  upon 
by  most  of  the  race  as  the  greater  crime  and  the  greater  sin. 

Our  system  of  laws  and  fear  of  our  courts  of  justice  may 
restrict  this  people  in  the  exercise  of  their  satanic  inclina- 
tions when  they  come  among  us;  but  just  so  far  as  they  can 
go  without  detection  and  punishment  in  the  practice  of  cru- 
elties toward  each  other  and  toward  all  with  whom  they  are 
brought  in  contact — saying  nothing  of  their  constant  viola- 
tion of  the  civil  and  criminal  laws  in  other  methods — just  so 
far  they  will,  and  do  go,  in  the  j^ractice  and  perpetuation  of 
their  hideous  inhumanity.  For  in  this  respect,  as  in  all 
others,  the  Chinaman  is  the  Chinaman  still,  whether  upon 
his  native  soil  or  transplanted  to  other  lands,  and  should 
excite  no  other  feeling  but  that  of  horror  and  disgust  in  the 
breasts  of  all  civilized  people  with  whom  he  is  brought  in 
contact. 


THE  INHUMANITY  OF  THE  EACE.  '   45 

Let  US  turn  to  the  testimony  of  tlie  inhumanities  of  the 
Chinese  upon  American  soil. 

It  is  in  proof  that  most  of  the  Chinese  women  in  Califor- 
nia— all  of  the  Chinese  prostitutes,  in  fact — are  simply  slaves. 
Brought  here  as  such  in  the  first  instance,  bought  and  sold 
here  from  time  to  time  in  absolute  defiance  of  the  law,  and 
treated,  often,  worse  than  the  dogs  that  haunt  the  streets 
and  live  upon  the  offal  of  the  gutter.  On  this  point  we  will 
cite  first  Mr.  Gibson,  who,  despite  his  pro-Chinese  proclivi- 
ties, has  from  time  to  time  been  compelled  to  tell  some  plain 
truths  as  to  the  habits  and  the  cruelties  practiced  toward 
this  class,  in  perpetuation  of  their  natural  proclivities.  In 
his  examination  before  the  Legislative  committee  in  1876  he 
testified  as  follows: 

Q. — Is  it  not  a  well  settled  matter  that  a  great  many  people 
are  held  in  slavery  here — bought  and  sold? 

A. — Only  the  women.  I  don't  think  there  is  a  man  so 
held.  The  women,  as  a  general  thing,  are  slaves.  They  are 
bought  or  stolen  in  China  and  brought  here.  They  have  a 
sort  of  agreement,  to  cover  up  the  slavery  business;  but  it 
is  all  sham. 

****** 

Mr.  Haymond. — Then,  so  far  as  the  women  are  concerned, 
they  are  in  slavery,  with  more  hard  features  than  have  been 
known  to  white  races  ? 

A. — Yes,  sir.  And  even  after  the  term  of  prostitution 
service  is  up,  the  owners  so  manage  as  to  have  the  women 
in  debt  more  than  ever,  so  that  their  slavery  becomes  life- 
long.    There  is  no  release  from  it. 

Q. — When  these  people  become  sick  and  helpless,  what 
becomes  of  them  ? 

A. — They  are  left  to  die. 

Q. — No  care  taken  of  them? 

A. — Sometimes,  where  the  women  have  friends. 

Q. — Don't  the  companies  take  care  of  them? 

A. — Not  frequently. 

Q. — Is  it  not  a  frequent  thing  that  they  are  put  out  on 
the  sidewalk  to  die,  or  in  some  room  without  water  or  food  ? 

A. — I  have  heard  of  such  things.     I  don't  know.    I  don't 


46  THE  INHUMANITY  OF  THE  RACE. 

think  they  are  kind;  I  think  they  are  very  unkind  to  the  sick. 
Sometimes  the  Avomen  take  opium  to  kill  themselves.  They 
do  not  know  they  have  any  rights,  but  think  they  must  keep 
their  contracts,  and  believe  themselves  under  obligations  to 
serve  in  prostitution. 

Q. — What  is  their  treatment?     Is  it  harsh? 

A. — They  have  come  to  the  asylum  all  bruises.  They  are 
beaten  and  punished  cruelly  if  they  fail  to  make  money. 
When  they  become  worn  out  and  unable  to  make  any  more 
money,  they  are  turned  out  to  die. 

James  H.  Bovee,  jail-keeper  in  the  Sheriff's  office,  testified : 

Q. — How  do  they  treat  their  sick  and  helpless? 

A. — I  have  seen  them  thrown  out  on  the  street  and  on 
the  sidewalk,  and  I  have  seen  them  put  into  little  rooms 
without  light,  bedding  or  food.     There  they  were  left  to  die. 

Q, — What  opportunities  have  these  women  to  escape,  if 
they  should  desire  ? 

A. — I  don't  see  that  they  have  any  at  all,  for  where  a 
woman  escapes  a  reward  is  offered  and  she  is  brought  back. 
W^here  they  can  get  her  in  no  other  way  they  use  our  courts. 

Matt.  Karcher,  for  many  years  Chief  of  Police  for  Sacra- 
mento City,  testifies  (Evidence,  p.  131) : 

Q — Do  you  know  what  they  do  with  their  sick  when  they 
become  helpless  and  unable  to  make  more  money  ? 

A. — Put  them  in  some  out-house,  or  on  the  sidewalk,  to 

die. 

Q. — Without  food  or  bedding? 

A. — Generally.  I  have  found  men  and  women,  both,  in 
that  condition.  I  have  found  them  by  accident,  while  hunt- 
ing for  other  things — stolen  goods,  criminals,  etc. 

Q. — You  found  women  without  food  or  drink,  and  with- 
out covering? 

A. — Yes,  sir. 

Q. — And  death  would  have  come  from  disease  or  starva- 
tion, or  both  ? 

A. — Yes,  sir. 

Q. — Is  that  the  common  way  of  disposing  of  these  women 
when  they  become  useless  ? 

A. — Yes,  sir,  if  not  the  only  way. 

Q. — They  are  less  cared  for  than  are  useless  domestic 
animals  by  the  white  race  ? 


THE  INHUMiiNITy  OF  THE  BACE.  *  47 

A. — A  great  deal  less. 

Geo.  W.  Duffield,  a  San  Francisco  j)olice  officer,  testified 
in  regard  to  Chinese  prostitutes : 

The  women  are  treated  now  a  great  deal  better  than  they 
used  to  be.  They  used  to  receive  very  rough  treatment. 
They  have  not  been  beaten  much  lately,  because  the  police 
watch  them  and  arrest  them  for  beating.  When  they  be- 
come sick  and  helpless  they  send  them  to  the  hospitals,  or 
leave  them  to  die.  Sometimes  they  leave  them  with  a  cup 
of  rice,  to  die  without  attendance.  They  take  no  care  of 
them  when  they  get  sick.  I  have  caught  Chinese  in  the  act 
of  turning  the  sick  out  to  die,  leaving  them  on  the  sidewalk 
and  in  the  street  to  perish. 

Oliver  C.  Jackson,  a  Sacramento  police  officer,  tes- 
tified : 

Q. — Do  you  know  what  is  done  with  these  women  wJjen 
they  become  sick,  helpless  and  incurably  diseased '? 

A. — Where  they  see  that  they  will  be  of  no  further  use  to 
make  money,  they  turn  them  out  on  the  sidewalk  to  die.  1 
have  seen  men  and  women  also  turned  out  to  die  in  this 
manner.  I  have  found  dead  men  while  searching  for  stolen 
property,  and  I  have  had  the  Coroner  attend  to- them.  ^  ^ 
A  great  many  die  in  out-of-the-Avay  places,  abandoned  by 
the  Chinese,  without  food  or  drink. 

James  Duffy,  another  Sacramento  police  officer,  testified : 

Q. — When  Chinese  become  hopelessly  sick,  what  do  they 
do  with  them? 

A. — I  know  of  cases  where  women,  hopelessly  sick,  have 
been  turned  out  to  die  of  disease  or  starvation,  or  both.  I 
have  been  with  undertakers  after  the  bodies  of  such  persons. 
One  we  found  alone  in  a  wash-house,  dead.  There  was  no 
furniture  in  the  room,  and  nothing  for  the  sick  woman  to 
subsist  upon. 

James  Coffey,  another  Sacramento  police  officer,  testified : 

Q. — Do  you  know  whether  these  women  are  owned  or 
not? 

A. — They  are  bought  and  sold  just  like  we  buy  and  sell 
cattle .     The   merchants  here,  who  claim    to   be  connected 


48  THE  INHUMANITY  OF  THE  RACE. 

with  the  sis  companies,  also  claim  ownership  of  these  Chi- 
nese women. 

Q. — Do  you  know  what  they  do  with  these  women  when 
they  become  sick  and  helpless  ? 

A. — Some  are  taken  care  of,  and  some  are  placed  in 
rooms  by  themselves  to  die .  Then  hardly  anybody  goes  to 
see  them.  They  are  turned  out  to  die.  I  have  known  two 
cases  of  that  kind  in  Chinatown  during  the  last  year — one 
man  and  one  woman. 

Ah  You,  a  Chinaman  doing  business  as  a  butcher  in  Sac- 
ramento, testified : 

Q. — When  those  women  get  sick  and  are  going  to  die,  do 
they  put  them  in  houses  by  themselves,  without  food  or 
water  ? 

A. — In  case  a  woman  got  no  husband,  and  don't  know 
enough  to  go  to  the  hospital,  they  put  her  out  of  the  way. 

Q. — Why  don't  the  Chinese  companies  take  care  of  them 
when  they  are  sick  ? 

A. — The  company  can't  attend  to  much  business  of 
that  kind. 

Chas.  P.  O'Neil,  a  police  officer  in  Sacramento  for  twenty 
years,  testified: 

Q. — Do  you  know  how  these  women  are  treated  by  the 
persons  who  own  them  ? 

A. — It  looks  to  me  like  they  were  very  closely  confined 
in  the  houses.  I  have  known  the  masters  and  mistresses  to 
whip  the  women,  but  I  have  never  heard  of  it  a  second  time 
where  I  have  gone  and  cautioned  them.  When  they  become 
sick  and  helpless  they  turn  them  out  to  die.  I  have  known 
two  cases  where  they  have  put  them  in  empty  houses  and  left 
them  there  to  die.  In  one  case  I  took  the  woman  and  had 
her  conveyed  to  the  hospital,  where  she  died.  I  found  her 
in  a  high  fever,  alone,  in  an  unfurnished  room.  She  was 
sitting  in  a  corner,  moaning.  I  found  the  party  who  hired 
the  room  and  the  party  who  put  her  there.  I  went  for  him, 
but  he  "got  up  and  dusted."  I  haven't  seen  him  since. 
The  Chinese  have  some  superstition  in  regard  to  j)ersons 
dying  in  their  houses,  and  that  will  probably  account  for  the 
manner  of  treatment.  They  believe  that  to  let  one  die  in 
the  house  brings  bad  luck. 


THE  INHUMANITY  OF  THE  RACE,  49 

David  Supple,  a  San  Francisco  police  officer,  testified  in 
regard  to  Chinese  prostitution : 

Q. — Do  you  know  wliat  they  do  with  them  when  they 
become  sick  and  helpless? 

A. — They  put  them  out  on  the  street  to  die.  I  have  had 
charge  of  the  dead  myself,  on  the  street.  I  have  seen  sick 
and  helpless  women  turned  out  in  that  way. 

Such  is  the  picture  of  Chinese  inhumanity  here,  leaving 
out  of  view  the  system  of  cruel  assassination  which  they 
openly  practice  with  a  quasi  official  license  from  their  own 
self-constituted  authorities,  and  which  will  be  alluded  to 
later  on.  It  is  this  people  whom  the  Rev.  Mr.  Speer  com- 
pares with  our  own,  and  between  whom  he  finds  the  following 
similarity : 

"  Each  (America  and  China)  is  occupied  by  a  peo- 
ple naturally  thoughtful,  earnest,  acquisitive  and  enter- 
prising; each  by  a  people  strangely  conglomerate,  yet 
strangely  hemogeneous;  each  by  a  people  among  whom  in- 
tellect and  education  constitute  the  only  patent  of  nobility; 
each  by  a  people  the  freest  upon  its  own  continent,  and 
governed  mainly  by  the  rules  of  its  own  selection;  and  each 
country  is  now  in  the  travail  of  a  change  from  old  bondage 
and  feebleness  to  new  power,  light  and  influence,  which  will 
be  felt  to  the  very  corners  of  the  earth." 

Is  it  not  a  crime,  as  well  as  a  sin,  that  men  clothed  in 
the  garb  of  gospel  ministration  should  seek  to  to  mislead 
public  thought  by  such  monstruous  propositions  as  this  in 
the  face  of  such  testimony  of  the  utter  depravity  and  bar- 
barity of  a  race  of  people  thus  placed  on  parallel  lines  with 
our  own  ?  Is  it  not  worthy  of  the  condemnation  of  mankind 
that  a  race  imbued  with  these  attributes  of  inhumanity 
should  be  held  up  as  fit  material  for  admixture  with  our  own 
and  as  having  been  sent  to  our  shores  by  divine  command 
to  become  with  us,  in  one  hemogeneous  whole,  living  exam- 
ples of  the  "common  brotherhood  of  man"  ? 


CHAPTER  IV. 


THE  CHINESE  ABROAD. 

The  evidence  as  to  tlie  manners  and  habits  of  the  Chinese 
at  home  is  conclusive.  Conceding  all  that  may  be  said  in 
their  praise  as  to  their  habits  of  industry  and  their  frugality, 
there  can  be  no  doubt  or  question  that  this,  the  oldest  known 
civilization  in  the  world,  is  rotten  to  the  core  with  vice  and 
crime,  with  sensuality  and  lust,  with  the  universal  indulg- 
ence in  all  the  baser  passions,  and  no  better  motive  for  their 
industrious  inclination  than  the  love  of  money,  than  sordid, 
unfeeling  avarice.  It  is  in  proof  that  there  is  no  human  abom- 
ination or  cruelty  that  they  do  not  practice.  That  they  are 
a  race  to  which  the  attribute  of  gratitude  for  favors  or  kind- 
ness bestowed  upon  them  is  unknown.  That  contact  with 
Christianity,  when  they  emigrate  to  the  very  strongholds  of 
Christianity  itself,  leaves  but  a  trace  of  impression  upon 
the  outward  surface  of  their  lives.  That  for  every  human 
soul  converted  from  their  ranks  to  the  Christian  faith,  they 
plant  a  hundred  vices  in  our  midst  and  scatter  the  seeds  of 
disease  that  render  thousands  of  lives  but  chapters  of 
misery,  leaving  out  of  view  the  perdition  of  the  hereafter 
which  our  Christian  faith  sternly  attaches  to  their  sin.  The 
practical  illustration  of  this  will  be  found  embodied  in  the 
report  of  the  Special  Committee  of  the  Board  of  Super- 
visors of  San  Francisco,  which  constitutes  Part  II.  of  this 
work. 

That  the  banners  of  Christianity  and  Christian  civiliva- 
tion  may  be  advanced  throughout  the  remotest  confines  of 
the  Chinese  Empire  by  never  ceasing  missionary  work  upon 
Chinese  soil  itself,  may  well  be  our  prayer  and  our  faith. 
But  that  these  people  should  be  invited  to  our  shores  in 


THE  CHINESE  ABROAD.  51 

countless  thousands  in  the  hope  and  expectation  of  Christ- 
ianization  here,  is  a  proposition  too  horrible  to  the  physical, 
moral  and  religious  well-being  of  our  own  people  to  be 
thought  of — judging  from  the  frightful  evidence  which  the 
presence  of  the  thousands  who  are  already  here  have 
furnished  in  the  story  of  their  lives  so  far,  and  the  faithful 
picture  of  their  condition  at  present  wherever  they  are 
gathered  together  in  communities  among  us. 

Beyond  question,    if    leffc   unchecked,  the   most  liberal 
prognostications  that  have  yet  been  made  by  writers  upon 
the  Chinese  question  as  to  the  millions  upon  millions  that   _V^ 
will  swarm  in  upon  us,  will  be  verified.   Possibly  the  Ameri- 
can  Republic  is  not  strong  enough,  possibly  there  is  not 
wisdom  enough  in  the  land  to  enact  laws  that  will  prevent 
the  fulfillment  of  their  prognostications;  but  the  time  has 
come,  and  the  issue  is  joined;  the  contest  must  be  made. 
Two  races,  standing  face  to  face  with  each  other,  between 
whom,  as  history  thus  far  shows,  there  can  be  no  assimila- 
tion, are  contending  for  industrial  supremacy  upon  this  Con-  q 
tinent.     Can  any  rational  mind  doubt  where  the  victory  will   ' 
rest,  unless  the  broad  ocean   that  separates  the  two  conti-    ' 
nents   which  each  inhabit   shall  be  declared  an  impassible 
barrier    across  which   the   invading   race   shall   not  pass?     ' 
The  American  sentimentalists  who  find  in  "  The  Declara-   ^ 
tion  "  certain  immutable  principles  which  it  would   shock 
their  very  natures  to  see  trenched  upon,  who  live  and  die  in 
the  political  faith  that  all  men  are  born  free  and  equal,  that 
ours  is  a  land  which  divine  wisdom  has  set  apart  as  an  asylum 
for  the  oppressed  of  all  nations,  who  believe  in  the  universal 
brotherhood  of  man,  will  do  well  to  study  the  picture  of  the 
"Chinese  at   Home,"  thus   far  furnished  them  in  the  pre- 
ceding statement  of  the  case.     They  will  continue  to  do  well 
by  examining  all  that  is  to  follow,  showing  how  perfectly 
successful  the  race  has  been  in  transplanting  their  idolatry, 
their  vices,  their  diseases,  and  all  their  contaminating  influ- 
ences in   immigrating  to  these  shores. 


52  THE  CHINESE  ABROAD. 

How  utterly  wasted  have  been  the  presumably  regenera- 
tive influences  of  Christian  contact,  and  how  utterly  falla- 
cious, in  this  instance  at  least,  becomes  the  sentimental 
theories  of  the  common  brotherhood  of  man.  They  will  do 
equally  well  to  study  the  question  of  Chinese  emigration  to 
other  lands,  where  in  every  instance  they  will  find  that  the 
American  example  is  but  a  reptition  of  all  that  has  gone  before. 
That  the  Chinaman  is  the  same  every  where,  still  clinging  to  the 
idolatry,  the  habits  and  vices  of  his  race,  with  stubborn, 
clannish  tenacity,  wherever  he  may  be  found  in  contact  with 
a  Christian  people,  whether  that  contact  be  a  thing  of  the 
present,  or  as  it  has  been  in  some  instances  a  matter  that 
has  withstood  two  centuries  of  test. 

The  Chinese  settlements  in  the  Islands  of  the  Indian 
archipelago,  some  of  them  dating  back  past  the  middle  of 
the  seventeenth  century,  those  of  our  own  age  in  Australia, 
in  British  Columbia,  in  our  own  country,  saying  nothing 
of  the  coolies  of  South  America  and  the  West  India 
Islands,  all  present  in  their  main  features  a  repetition  of 
"  Chinatown  "  in  San  Francisco,  equally  impregnable  against 
the  influences  of  Christianity,  equally  characterized  by  the 
vices  of  the  race,  equally  filthy,  and  equally  as  well  marked 
in  race  proclivities  and  physical  characteristics.  With  a  few 
rare  instances  of  exception,  where  they  have  been  brought 
in  contact  with  kindred  races  of  the  Philippine  group,  the 
Chinaman  remains  a  Chinaman  wherever  he  has  settled  out- 
side of  the  "  Flowery  Kingdom,"  uninfluenced  for  good  by 
contact  with  other  races,  but  disseminating  with  frightful 
regularity  his  vices  and  their  hereditary  fruits  among  all  who 
surround  him. 

In  1824-25,  Chinese  were  first  introduced  into  Singapore 
by  English  merchants,  to  engage  in  the  manufacture  of  rope 
mats,  etc.  A  "  Chinatown  "  was  established  there,  which, 
from  that  day  to  this,  has  remained  as  well  marked,  as  exclu- 
sively Chinese  in  its  aspect  as  is  the  Chinese  quarter  in  San 
Francisco. 


THE  CHINESE  ABROAD.  53 

"  When  the  number  had  increased  to  several  thousand," 
says  Conwell,  "a  ship-load  of  prostitutes  was  brought  down 
from  Macao  as  a  matter  of  speculation.  These  were  followed 
by  others,  until  Chinesetown  was  filled  with  them.  The 
attention  of  the  gEnlish  authorities  being  called  to  the  sub- 
ject, and  the  Chinese  fearing  the  removal  of  their  mistresses, 
took  them  in  marriage  according  to  the  custom  of  China." 
**■«•*  -jt  *  * 

"As  for  the  character  of  the  woman,  it  has  no  weight 
with  a  Chinaman  of  the  laboring  class,  as  virtue  in  a  woman 
seems  to  be  of  no  consequence  to  him.  From  these  mar- 
riages sprang  up  a  generation  of  children  who  have  since 
intermarried  among  themselves,  and  who  know  no  other 
home." 

Originating  in  this  manner  the  "Chinatown"  of  Singa- 
pore stands  to-day  simply  a  reflex  of  the  '  'Chinatown"  of  San 
Francisco.  Not  a  single  feature  in  the  social  condition  of 
its  inhabitants  exhibits  the  slightest  evidence  of  tendency  to 
assimilation  with  the  Caucasian  elements  about  them ;  but 
Chinese  in  all  its  characteristics,  it  remains  and  will  remain 
until  every  one  who  now  proclaim  that  the  doctrine  of  the 
common  brotherhood  of  man  must  be  typified  and  exem- 
plified in  the  American  Eepublic  by  inviting  the  race  hither- 
ward  without  limit,  shall  have  passed  away  and  generation 
after  generation  of  their  successors  in  belief  shall  have  fol- 
lowed them. 

Speaking  further  of  the  characteristics  of  the  Chinese  in 
Singapore,  the  writer  just  quoted  says,  in  language  that 
might  with  equal  force  and  equal  truth  apply  to  the  habits 
of  the  Chinese  in  San  Francisco : 

"  They  take  good  care  of  their  own  persons,  but  their 
houses,  children,  cats  and  dogs  are  filthy  in  the  extreme. 
The  stench  about  their  dwellings  is  almost  unendurable  to  a 
European;  and  the  cesspools  and  slimy  ditches  in  their  back 
yards  would  breed  the  cholera  in  the  most  salubrious  climate 
in  the  world.  While  the  Chinaman  is  cleansing  the  house  of 
his  employer  and  removing  every  particle  of  dirt  with  scru- 
pulous care,  his  family  at  home  are   living  in   the  most 


54  THE  CHINESE  ABROAD. 

slovenly  quarterf?,  where  vermin  of  a  hundred  species  revel 
in  luxurious  nastiness.  How  tliej  can  go  from  neat  stores 
or  fine  drawing-rooms,  where  tbey  are  employed,  to  eat  and 
sleep  in  these  foul  quarters  is  a  mystery  which  I  have  yet  to 
hear  explained." 

The  colony  at  Penang,  on  the  Prince  of  Wales  Island, 
(Molucca)  originated  some  years  later,  but  in  a  similar  way 
to  that  of  Singapore.  There,  with  a  population  of  about 
sixteen  thousand,  a  "Chinatown"  exists  which  is  a  direct 
counterpart  of  that  at  Singapore  in  all  its  features,  and 
there  the  same  line  of  non-assimilation  is  drawn  with  the 
same  exactitude.  The  same  writer,  in  describing  his  visit  to 
this  settlement,  says : 

"  How  bad  the  filth  might  appear  were  it  not  for  the 
rich  foliage  of  the  trees  overhead  that  attracts  the  eye,  or 
how  offensive  its  odors  might  seem  did  not  the  spice  trees 
drown  it  with  sweetness,  I  will  not  venture  to  say." 

And  he  adds : 

"  As  far  as  the  Penang  and  Singapore  colonies  are  con- 
cerned, there  can  be  said  to  be  but  little  difference  between 
the  habits,  customs,  or  religious  faith  of  the  Chinese  there 
and  in  China.  ' 

Sir  John  Bowring  in  his  "Visit  to  the  Philippine 
Islands,"  says,  in  speaking  of  the  Chinese  colonies  there: 

"There  are  few  facts  of  more  interest  in  connection  with 
the  changes  that  are  going  on  in  the  Oriental  world  than 
the  outpouring  of  the  Chinese  population  into  almost  every 
region  eastward  of  Bengal;  and  in  Calcutta  itself  there  is 
now  a  considerable  body  of  Chinese,  mostly  shoemakers, 
many  of  whom  have  acquired  considerable  wealth,  and  they 
are  banded  together  in  that  strong  gregarious  bond  of  na- 
tionality which  accompanies  them  wherever  they  go,  and 
which  is  not  broken — scarcely  influenced — by  the  circum- 
stances which  surround  them. 

"Yet  they  are  but  birds  of  passage,  who  return  home 
to  be  succeeded  by  others  of  their  race. 


THE  CHINESE  ABROAD.  55 

"Thousands  upon  thousands  of  Chinamen  arrive,  and 
are  scattered  over  the  islands,  but  not  a  single  Chinese 
woman  accompanies  them  Irom  their  native  country.  In  the 
year  1857,  4,233  Chinamen  landed  in  the  port  of  Manila 
alone,  and  2,592  left  for  China. 

H:  *  *  *  *  * 

"In  1855  there  were  in  the  fortress  of  Manila  525  China- 
men, but  of  females  only  two  women  and  five  children.  In 
Binondo,  5,055  Chinamen,  but  of  females  only  eight,  all  of 
whom  were  children. 

"No  women  have  been  obtainable  either  for  the  British 
or  Spanish  colonies,  though  the  exportation  of  coolies  had 
exceeded  60,000,  and  except  by  kidnaping  and  direct  pur- 
chases from  the  procu?'esses  or  brothels,  it  is  certain  no 
women  can  be  induced  to  emigrate.  This  certainly  ought  to 
be  seriously  weighed  by  the  advocates  of  the  importation  of 
Chinese  laborers  into  the  colonies  of  Great  Britain. 

*  :5J  :5:  ♦  :'.:  :i: 

"When  a  Chinese  is  examined  under  oath,  the  formula 
of  cutting  off  the  head  of  a  white  cock  is  performed  by  the 
witness,  who  is  told  that  if  he  do  not  utter  the  truth,  the 
blood  of  his  family  will,  like  that  of  the  cock,  be  spilt,  and 
perdition  overtake  them.  My  long  experience  of  the  Chi- 
nese compels  me  to  say  that  I  believe  no  oath  whatever — 
nothing  but  the  apprehension  of  punishment — affords  any,  the 
least  security  against  perjury. 

*****  4: 

"But  little  disgrace  attends  lying,  especially  when  unde- 
tected and  unpunished,  and  the  art  of  lying  is  one  of  the  best 
understood  arts  of  the  government." 

In  Australia  the  Chinaman  is  the  same  that  he  is  in  Cal- 
ifornia. "The  Chinese  element,"  says  the  editor  of  the 
Melbourne  Age,  "is  not  only  unchangeably  foreign — it  is, 
besides,  imbued  with  such  inherent,  corruptive  influences 
that  its  presence  has  a  directly  demoralizing  effect."  The 
Herald  speaks  in  like  terms:  "The  commercial  advantages 
which  we  derive  from  their  presence  do  not  compensate  for 
the  degradation  which,  question  the  fact  as  we  may,  is  felt 


56  THE  CHINESE  ABROAD. 

by  the  European  and  all  of  European  descent  in  being  asso- 
ciated with  the  Chinese  in  numerical  proportion  which  they 
assume  in  this  community.  The  disgust  which  their  habits 
excite  is  not  limited  to  the  man  of  refined  tastes,  but  is  felt 
by  all  sorts  and  conditions,  from  the  humblest  digger  on  the 
gold  fields  to  the  honorable  member  on  his  easy  seat  in  the 
Legislative  Council." 

An  English  writer  in  Hoiisehold  Words  has  the  following : 

"The  writer  of  this  paper  has  seen  much  of  the  Chinese 
character  developed  on  the  gold  fields  of  Australia,  and  he  is 
bound  to  admit  that  many  of  the  charges  brought  against  it 
are  true.  The  Chinese  in  Australia  never  speak  truth  when 
a  falsehood  better  serves  the  purpose  of  the  moment;  and, 
when  they  have  a  chance  of  filching  from  the  European, 
nothing  can  escape  their  fingers.  They  are  adepts  in  the 
making  of  false  gold;  and  it  is  hard  to  keep  them  from  fouling 
the  water-holes,  by  which  all  are  sujDplied — a  matter  of  much 
moment  in  a  warm,  dry  climate.  Nor  is  this  the  worst. 
Women  and  children  of  tender  age  frequently  receive  gross 
insult  and  outrage  at  their  hands,  so  that  it  is  not  safe  for  a 
family  to  live  near  their  encampments.  The  colonial  public 
was  recently  shocked  by  the  gross  cruelty  involved  in  the 
details  of  the  forcible  expulsion  of  the  Chinese  from  the 
Buckland  diggings.  Subsequent  information  showed  that 
insults  offered  by  them  to  the  families  of  European  residents 
had  provoked  outrage  in  retaliation. 

"Again,  their  habits  are  not  pleasant.  Crouching  in 
their  low,  squat  tents,  huddled  together,  dirty  in  their  own 
persons,  careless  of  their  removal  of  filth  from  their  own 
dwellings,  Australian  Chinese  in  encampment  create  a  very 
Tartarus  of  foul  sights  and  foul  smells." 

In  1875  the  Board  of  Health  of  Sydney,  New  South 
Wales,  appointed  a  sub-committee  "to  inspect  and  report 
upon  the  condition  of  the  Chinese  in  that  town."  An  extract 
from  the  report  of  the  committee  will  suffice  to  show  the 
condition  of  the  Chinese  there : 

"Met  at  the  Town  Hall  on  Tuesday,  December  7,  1875, 
and  went  first  to  Park  street,  where  we  inspected  several 
boarding-houses,  all  clean  and  in  orderly  condition.     In  the 


THE  CHINESE  ABROAD.  57 

same  street  is  a  wooden  lioiise  containing  eight  rooms,  occu- 
pied by  Wall  Lu  Ong,  a  Chinaman  carpenter,  employing  a 
number  of  men.  Seventeen  persons  sleep  in  the  house,  all 
countrymen  of  the  proprietor.  In  one  room,  14x12  feet, 
were  eight  beds,  the  room  being  partitioned  off  into  bunks 
like  the  steerage  of  a  ship;  bedding  of  a  very  bad  kind.  In 
some  bunks  were  mattresses,  in  others  only  rags  and  cloth- 
ing; mosquito  curtains  black  with  dust.  In  another  room 
over  the  shop  were  five  rooms  of  a  similar  description.  We 
looked  into  the  kitchen  down  stairs,  which  was  dirty  and 
smoky.  The  whole  place  stinks  aloud,  the  horrible  and 
sickening  opium  smell  pervading  all  through  it.  Among  the 
workmen  were  several  apprentices.  The  workmen  on  wages, 
we  ascertained,  earn  from  10s  to  15s  a  week  and  their  food. 
This  day's  inspection  was  not  performed  without  serious 
fatigue  and  risk  to  the  health  to  Dr.  Read  and  myself.  For 
the  next  forty-eight  hours  the  horrible,  sickly  smell  of  opium 
smoking,  which  pervades  all  the  Chinese  quarters,  seemed 
to  adhere  to  us,  to  say  nothing  of  the  fear  of  infection. " 

In  December,  1877,  Mr.  Macalister  read  a  paper  before 
the  Eoyal  Colonial  Institute  in  Queensland  from  which  the 
following  extract  is  taken. 

"Nowhere,  (he  says)  has  the  Chinaman  settled  in  any 
considerable  numbers  that  be  has  not  created  a  blot  on  our 
institutions.  Even  in  cities  among  the  amenities  of  city 
life,  the  Chinese  quarter  is  viewed  with  loathing.  Nowhere 
has  he  blended  with  the  Anglo-Saxon,  the  interval  between 
them  is  so  great  that  it  cannot  be  passed.  The  progressive 
ideas  of  civilization  do  not  harmonize  with  those  dwarfed 
by  age.  They  are  not  colonists  in  our  acceptance  of  the 
term;  they  come  alone  and  do  not  bring  their  babies  or 
families  with  them.  Dr.  Hue  asserts  of  them,  that  they  are 
sceptical  and  indifferent  to  every  thing  that  concerns  the 
moral  side  of  man.  And  this  estimate  of  them  has  double 
force  when  applied  in  the  exceptional  conditions  under 
which  they  live  in  Queensland.  They  regard  a  good  coffin 
as  of  more  importance  than  a  correct  life,  and  certainly 
what  we  hear  of  their  habits,  though  unfit  for  description, 
is  sufficient  to  deter  a  government  from  forcing  them  on  a 
people  unwilling  to  receive  them.  They  do  not  speak  or 
understand  our  language,  have  no  desire  for  progress,  and 


68  THE  CHINESE  ABROAD. 

have  no  conception  of  representative  or  free  institutions. 
Thej  come  to  Queensland  for  none  of  the  ordinary  mechani- 
cal pursuits  of  life,  their  secret  is  simple  enough — to  take 
possession  of  the  gold  fields,  to  extract  from  the  earth  its 
auriferous  deposits,  and  to  this  extent  to  impoverish  the  coun- 
try; aud,  having  doue  this  to  return  to  China  and  there 
spend  their  days.  They  invest  no  capital  in  our  undertak- 
ings, and  undertake  no  industries  of  a  permanent  character. 
After  they  have  gone  there  is  no  trace  of  their  existence, 
not  even  a  tombstone;  their  very  ashes  they  make  an  effort 
to  have  transplanted  to  the  '  Flowery  Land.'" 

Sir  Thomas  Herbert,  in  Herheri's  Travels,  page  364,  in 
the  quaint  language  of  his  times,  describes  the  character  of 
the  Chinese  in  the  islands  of  the  Indian  Archipelago.  Long 
ago  as  this  was  written,  it  describes  the  habits  of  the 
Chinese  of  to-day  wherever  they  colonize,  and  the  language 
used  might  equally  as  well  apply  to  "Chinatown"  in  San 
Francisco  as  to  the  Chinese  colonies  in  either  of  the  islands 
referred  to.  It  is  another  proof  that  the  character  of  the 
Chinese  is  unchangeable,  and  that  vice  is  its  major  constit- 
uent element. 

"The  Chyneses  are  no  quarrelers,  albeit  voluptuous, 
costly  in  their  sports,  great  gamesters,  and  in  trading  too  sub- 
tile for  3'oung  merchants;  oft  times  so  wedded  to  dicing  that 
after  they  have  lost  their  whole  estate,  wife  and  children  are 
staked;  yet  in  little  time,  Jew  like,  by  gleaning  here  and 
there,  are  able  to  redeem  their  loss,  if  not  at  the  day,  they 
are  sold  in  the  market  at  most  advantage." 

Dampier,  in  his  account  of  Achin,  says  of  the  Chinese: 

"  But  as  their  business  decreases,  their  gaming  among 
themselves  increases,  for  a  Chinese  if  he  is  not  at  work,  had 
as  lieve  be  without  victuals  as  without  gaming;  and  they  are 
very  dexterous  at  it." 

Mr.  Crawford  in  his  "  History  of  the  Indian  Archipelago" 
and  in  speaking  of  the  Chinese  who  had  settled  there  when 
he  wrote,  more  than  sixty  years  ago,  says : 

"The  Chinese   settlers   may   be    described   as   at   once 


THE  CHINESE  ABROAD.  59 

enterprising,  keen,  laborious,  luxurious,  sensual,  debauched 
and  pusillanimous." 

¥r  ^  ^  ¥:  ¥r  ¥r 

"  They  are  the  least  conscientious  people  alive;  the  con- 
stant prospect  of  gain  or  advantage  must  be  presented  to 
them  to  induce  them  to  fulfill  their  engagements,  which  they 
will  always  evade  when  their  judgment  is  not  satisfied  that 
an  adherence  to  them  will  be  certainly  profitable." 

All  this  too,  might  as  well  have  been  written  in  our  own 
times  and  applied  with  truth  to  the  Chinese  in  America,  as 
to  have  been  written  in  an  earlier  century  and  applied  to 
earlier  generations  of  the  race  colonized  elsewhere. 

The  proof  then,  is  incontrovertible,  that  the  Chinaman, 
transported  to  other  lands  than  his  own,  is  the  Chinaman 
still,  with  all  his  native  habits  and  inclinations,  with  all  his 
filth,  with  all  his  clannishness,  with  all  his  diseases,  with  all 
his  hideous  vices.  No  more  than  the  leopard  can  change  his 
spots,  can  the  Chinaman  change;  at  least  until  through  long 
generations  of  contamination  of  the  race  which  undertakes 
the  task,  and  the  sacrifice  of  the  physical  and  moral  health 
of  a  hundred  of  the  individuals  of  such  self-sacrificing  race 
for  every  Chinaman  reformed  and  christianized.  / 

From  the  practical  side  of  the  question — stripped  of  the 
halo  and  the  glamour  with  w^hich  the  exstatic  thoughts  and 
beatific  aspirations  of  the  religious  enthusiast  and  the  senti- 
mentalist surround  it — is  it  not  a  monstrous  crime  against 
humanity  itself,  and  necessarily  a  crime  against  Divine  laws, 
to  continue  longer  the  advocacy  of  Chinese  immigration? 

It  is  true  that  the  race  is  already  planted  upon  American 
soil.  It  is  true  thi-.t  it  is  a  living,  vital  element,  already 
through  the  generative  process  of  and  by  the  material  now 
among  us,  multiplying  and  increasing  through  the  resistless 
laws  of  nature.  It  is  true  that  they  are  here  to  stay,  and  that 
there  is  no  method  that  does  not  violate  the  laws  of  God  and 
man  by  which  we  may  rid  ourselves  of  them.  But  is  that, 
with  all  the  exhibit  that  has  been  made,  and  that  later  on 


(30  THE  INCONSISTENCIES  OF 

will  be  made  further,  of  the  blight  and  pestilence  which  their 
presence  in  a  civilized  Caucasian  community  begets,  a  good 
and  sufficient  reason  why  we  should  continue  to  enlarge  the 
risk  and  the  evil  which  their  unlimited  admission  involves, 
why  we  should  thus  court  an  evil  which  our  experience  thus 
far  proves  to  be  a  curse  to  humanity  ?  To  put  an  end  to  the 
farther  influx  of  this  race,  and  to  deal  wisely  with  those 
already  here,  is  a  problem  large  enough  and  serious  enough 
in  itself  to  employ  the  best  thought  and  action  of  the  Amer- 
ican people,  without  taking  upon  themselves  a  heavier  bur- 
then at  present.  Particularly  is  this  true,  when  the  fact  is 
considered  that  as  the  case  stands  the  brunt  of  the  battle 
and  the  test  in  this  experimental  contest  of  races  is  neces- 
sarily borne  by  the  people  of  California,  and  of  San  Fran- 
cisco in  particular.  Upon  them  is  forced  the  stern  duty  and 
the  moneyed  cost,  of  so  dealing  with,  and  regulating  the 
residence,  habits,  and  modes  of  life  of  those  already  here 
and  those  who  may  come  hereafter,  that  the  least  possible 
evil  may  be  borne  and  disseminated  by  reason  of  their 
coming.  Is  it  just  that  they  should  be  put  to  further  cost, 
and  further  local  risk  and  burthen,  that  the  sentiment  of  the 
"common  brotherhood  of  man"  may  be  fostered,  and  the 
bigoted  cant  of  the  short-sighted  religious  enthusiast  be 
appeased? 


CHAPTER  V. 


THE  INCONSISTENCIES  OF  MISSIONARY  WRITERS. 

There  is  no  dispute  or  question  as  to  the  reliability  of  the 
authors  herein  quoted,  except  such  as  comes  mainly  from 
missionary  writers.  Their  religious  zeal  blinds  their  ability 
to  entertain  a  thought  beyond  making  a  Christian  convert 


MISSIONARY  WEITEES.  61 

out  of  au  idolator,  regardless  of  the  co&t  of  such  conversiou 
to  the  Christian  community,  in  the  spread  of  vice,  disease 
and  immorality,  by  reason  of  the  contact  with  the  race,  from 
which  the  heathen  convert  is  to  be  snatched  like  the  "brand 
from  the  burning."  And  it  is  these  writers  who  have  never 
ceased  to  misdirect  public  opinion,  who  have  made  use  of 
constant  misrepresentation  in  the  presentation  of  the  Chi- 
nese question;  who  have  either  ignorantly  or  otherwise 
falsified  facts,  and  suppressed  or  distorted  the  truth. 

If  commerce  and  manufactures  in  all  their  details  can 
better  be  directed  by  clergymen  than  any  other  class,  if  les- 
sons in  political  economy  can  be  better  and  more  wisely 
inculcated  by  them ;  if  the  police  direction,  the  administra- 
tion of  punishments  for  crime,  the  exercise  of  stern  measures 
for  the  suppression  of  vice,  can  more  safely  be  left  in  their 
hands,  or  at  the  supervision  of  the  man  of  God,  than  in  the 
hands  of  those  members  of  society  who  ordinarily  exercise 
these  functions;  if  the  clergy  are  the  true  statesmen  of  the 
land,  the  true  political  economists,  then  the  question  of 
Chinese  immigration  may  be  safely  left  with  them,  and  their 
precepts  in^regard  to  the  same  may  be  safely  followed.  But 
it  is  not  likely  that  even  the  most  earnest  advocate  of  Chi- 
nese immigration  will  take  the  affirmative  of  these  proposi- 
tions in  so  far  as  such  supervision  of  his  worldly  affairs 
might  be  affected  thereby.  Why,  then,  should  the  advice 
and  the  dictum  of  the  missionary,  as  such,  be  any  longer  a 
potential  factor  in  the  consideration  of  the  Chinese  question  ? 
Grant  the  truth  of  the  sublime  precept  that 

"  God  moves  ia  a  mysterious  way, 
His  wonders  to  perform," 

does  it  necessarily  follow  that  the  movement  of  Asiatic  races 
toward  these  shores  is  necessarily  a  resultant  of  divine  com- 
mand ?  No  missionary  has  yet  written  upon  this  question 
since  Chinese  immigration  into  the  United  States  com- 
menced, who  has  not  directly  or  indirectly  taken  the  affirma- 
tive of  this  proposition.     If  we  concede  its  correctness,  then 


62  THE  INCONSISTENCIES  OP 

discussion  is  ended,  for  a  Christian  people  will  liardlj  be 
found  opposing  the  divine  will  however  severe  may  be  the 
chastisement  under  which  they  are  suffering.  The  world  is 
too  enlightened,  however,  and  men  of  to-day  are  too  inde- 
pendent in  thought  to  be  governed  by  such  bigoted  fanati- 
cism as  this,  in  the  face  of  the  fact  that  Chinese  immigration 
in  itself  is  the  parent  and  disseminator  of  all  the  vices  and 
all  the  sins  known  to  the  decalogue  against  which  every  pre- 
cept of  Christianity — religious  or  moral — is  arrayed  in  merci- 
less condemnation. 

And  yet,  here  are  some  of  the  theories  taught  in  their 
books  by  missionary  writers  upon  the  Chinese  question. 

The  Reverend  William  Speer,  in  his  book  on  "China  and 
the  United  States,"  says  in  his  introduction: 

"The  man  who  waits  for  the  consolation  of  Israel  of  the 
latter  days  must  praise  God  for  the  new  force  which  his  al- 
mighty power  has  given  to  the  immense  work  of  regenera- 
ting the  continent  of  Asia,  through  the  multitudes  of  its 
people  to  be  brought  hither,  enlightened  with  Christianity, 
and  returned  to  it  again.  Taken  in  whatsoever  aspect  we 
will,  the  coming  of  the  Chinese  to  America  is  excelled  in 
importance  by  no  other  event  since  the  discovery  of  the  New 
World.  It  is  one  of  the  impulses,  beyond  all  human  con- 
ception  or  management,  by  which  God  is  moving  the  history 
of  mankind  onward  to  its  great  consummation." 

i]'  tl:  ^  ^  ^  ^ 

"The  knowledge  of  modern  ages  in  the  West,  and  the 
introduction  of  labor-saving  machines,  will  expel  myriads 
from  China  as  the  bees  swarm  and  hive  in  the  spring;  and 
any  reasonable  man  who  will  consider  no  more  than  the 
statements  of  this  paragraph,  must  conclude  that  attempts 
to  prevent  their  coming  to  the  New  World  are  as  ridiculous 
and  futile  as  it  would  be  to  endeavor  to  change  the  laws  of  Na- 
ture, which  cause  the  soil  of  the  mountains  to  descend  into 
the  valleys,  or  the  floods  of  rain  to  force  a  channel  to  the 
sea.  The  day  is  coming  when  many  millions  of  Chinese  will 
be  dispersed  over  the  Pacific  coast,  the  Mississippi  valley, 
the  wastes  of  the  northern  portion  of  the  continent,  the 
provinces  of  Mexico  and   Central  America,  the  whole  con- 


MISSIONARY  WRITERS.  63 

tinent  of  South  America,  where  aheady  there  are  several 
thousands  of  them,  and  over  all  the  island  groups  or  island 
continents  of  the  Pacific  Ocean,  where  indolent  races  are 
departing,  having  accomplished  their  mission,  to  make  room 
for  them.  To  find  a  place  and  use  for  a  handful  of  vile 
African  slaves,  who  were  brought  here  in  a  condition  little 
above  the  brutes,  in  the  place  of  the  great  temple  of  civil 
and  religious  freedom  which  the  Supreme  Governor  of  the 
world  is  rearing  upon  this  continent  to  be  a  blessing  to  all 
its  nations,  has  cost  us  an  indescribable  amount  of  discus- 
sion and  trouble,  ending  in  a  stupendous  and  calamitous 
civil  war.  An  hundred-fold  more  importent  is  it  to  under- 
stand fully,  and  to  treat  with  wisdom  and  justice  from  the 
beginning,  the  race  whom  He  is  now  bringing  to  our  shores — 
one  so  incomparably  greater  than  the  negro  in  numbers,  in 
civilization,  in  capacity  to  bestow  immense  benefits  on  our 
land  or  to  inflict  uj^on  it  evils  which  may  end  in  its  ruin. 
Our  faith  iii  that  God  and  in  His  word  lead  us  to  hope  that 
their  coming  shall  be  for  good  to  us  and  them." 

"  And  in  all  the  general  measures,  legislative  or  com- 
mercial, which  we  adopt  in  reference  to  this  element  of  our 
population,  we  ought  to  remember  that  lue  are  not  acting  for 
temporary  or  j)€rsonal  or  our  own  ludional  interest,  hut  that  loe 
are  set  hi/  divi)ie  Providence  in  a  position  ivhich  demands  that  ive 
should  he  inspired  hi)  loftier  and  hroader  7no^a'es  which  are 
derived  from  the  suggestions  of  history,  a  sincere  devotion 
to  the  best  interests  of  humanity  and  by  an  humble  and 
earnest  desire  to  be  but  the  instruments  by  which  the 
Superior  Being  shall  execute  His  great  and  beneficial  plans.' 

Now,  while  this  writer  takes  the  position  that  in  dealing 
with  this  question  we  "are  not  acting  for  temporary  or  per- 
sonal or  national  interests,"  but  are  simply  dutifully  acqui- 
escing in  the  Divine  will  in  order  that  the  unacountable  pur- 
poses of  the  Supreme  Being  mny  be  fulfilled,  he  proceeds 
in  the  very  nest  chapter  to  treat  of  Chinese  labor  and  the 
great  advantages  which  it  offers  in  the  promotion  of  our 
national  interests,  and  offers  that  as  an  inducement  why 
Chinese    immigration    should  be  encouraged.     He   says: 


64  THE  INCONSISTENCIES  OF 

"The  wages  paid  for  Cliiueie  labor  iu  this  country  will, 
in  the  first  j^lace,  be  cheaper  than  any  other.  *  -s^  -Jt  ^ 
They  will,  in  the  future,  probably  not  command  the  rates 
paid  white  laborers,"  etc.  etc. 

So  that  we  have  first,  the  admonition  that  we  are  not  to 
consider  personal  or  national  interest  but  only  the  carrying  out 
of  the  Divine  behest,  and  in  the  next  breath  the  selfish  side  of 
our  natures  is  appealed  to,  showing  how  profitable  this  labor 
will  be  to  us  as  an  inducement  for  us  to  become  converts  to  the 
advocacy  of  Chinese  immigration.  Such  is  the  consistency 
and  the  logical  method  of  dealing  with  this  subject  by  this 
class  of  sentimental  and  impractical  writers.  Such  doc- 
trines as  these  coming  from  the  pen  of  a  minister  of  the 
gospel  are  monstrous.  He  is  "led  to  hope"  from  the  faith 
which  is  iu  him  that  Chinese  immigration  is  the  work  of 
God,  but  he  admits  in  the  same  breath  that  "it  may  inflict 
evils"  upon  the  country,  "which  may  end  in  its  ruin." 
And  this  is  the  kind  of  argumentative  pabulum  that  is 
given  to  the  American  people  to  induce  them  to  the  coun- 
tenance and  advocacy  of  this  influx  of  human  degradation 
upon  us.  Search  this  ponderous  volume  through  and  with 
the  exception  of  the  recital  of  the  evils  growing  out  of  the 
opium  habit,  there  is  hardly  more  than  a  bare  allusion  to 
the  habits  and  vices  of  the  Chinese  at  home,  as  shown  in 
the  extracts  already  given  from  other  writers.  Page  after 
page  is  devoted  to  a  delineation  of  the  social  life  of  the 
better  classes,  the  higher  schools  of  morality  and  all  the 
better  aspects  which  it  is  possible  to  set  down  to  the  credit 
of  this  people.  A  picture  is  drawn  pleasing  to  the  taste, 
consoling  to  the  thought  of  accepting  without  limit  their 
immigration  to  our  shores,  and  all  for  the  glory  of  God 
and  the  spread  of  Christianity.  For  while  the  author,  as 
has  been  shown,  is  not  quite  sure  that  it  may  not  result  in 
ruin  to  the  country,  yet,  he  begins  his  book  as  stated,  and 
ends  with  the  benediction: 

"The  beginnings  of  this  movement  of   the  Chinese  race 


MISSIONARY  WRITERS.  65 

are  in  themselves  small;  but  wherever  the  members  of  it  in 
coming  days  shall  be  scattered,  among  the  Christian  homes 
or  fields  or  factories  of  our  country,  let  us  hope  that  the 
divine  design  in  bringing  these  strangers  from  far  will  be 
kept  in  diligent  remembrance." 

Let  us  turn  now  to  the  work  of  another  missionary,  the 
Kev.  O.  Gibson,  whose  utter  inconsistency,  not  to  say 
insincerity,  has  been  pointed  out  once  already.  In  this 
book,  "  The  Chinese  in  America,"  many  frank  admissions  are 
made  in  regard  to  the  vices  of  the  Chinese,  for  which  the 
author  is  entitled  to  all  credit;  but  for  perversion  of  fact, 
misstatement  and  misapplication  of  ordinary  business  rules 
and  commercial  laws,  the  work  is  a  monumental  success. 
Submitted  in  manuscript  to  the  Kev.  M.  C.  Briggs,  the  in- 
troductory preface  is  written  by  him,  and  closes  in  these 
words : 

"  The  Chinese  are  here  by  the  order  of  Providence,  the 
principles  of  the  Declaration,  the  provisions  of  the  Treaty, 
and  here  they  are  sure  to  stay  till  better  reasons  for  their 
expulsion  can  be  shown  than  any  which  have  yet  appeared." 

Parenthetically  it  may  be  remarked  that  if,  according  to 
the  persistent  doctrine  "of  the  clergy,  as  here  again  ex- 
pressed, the  Chinese  are  here  "by  order  of  Providence," 
then,  even  though  "better  reasons  for  their  expulsion  can 
be  shown  than  any  that  have  yet  appeared,"  yet  reasons 
however  cogent  and  unanswerable  are  necessarily  in  such 
case  void  and  useless,  if  it  be  not  blasphemous,  to  offer 
them  in  the  face  of  divine  command.  It  is  indeed  strange 
that  one  who  sets  it  down  to  the  credit  of  divine  command 
so  earnestly  in  the  first  instance  should  be  so  inconsistent  as 
to  utter  in  the  same  breath  the  possibility  of  there  being 
reasons  to  the  contrary.  But  it  furnishes  another  instance  of 
the  illogical  methods  of  the  profession  when  dealing  with  the 
practical  realities  of  life  quite  as  glaring  as  that  which  has 
already  been  pointed  out  in  the  case  of  Mr.  Speer,  who  be- 
lieves it  is  the  act  of  Providence,  but  is  not  quite  sure  that 


66  THE  INCONSISTENCIES  OF 

it  may  not  "result  in  ruin  to  the  country."     But  to  return  to 
Mr.  Gibson: 

"The  cominf;;  of  so  many  idolaters  to  this  Christian  land," 
says  Mr.  Gibson,  "has  bronght  new  and  grave  responsibili- 
ties upon  the  Christian  Church.  The  heathen,  for  whose 
conversion  to  Christianity  the  Church  has  so  long  been 
praying — the  heathen  to  whom  the  Church  has  occasioually 
sent  a  representative,  a  messenger,  a  missionary  of  the 
blessed  Gospel — one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  of  those 
very  heathen,  God  has  now,  by  His  most  wonderful  provi- 
dence, brought  to  these  Christian  shores,  to  these  United 
States  of  America.  There  is  reason  to  believe  that  the 
Church  at  large  in  America  has  not  clearly  appreciated  the 
situation;  has  not  carefully  measured  the  responsibility 
which  God  has  thrust  upon  her.  While  the  principal  atten- 
tion has  been  directed  to  the  far-away  'pagodas  and  zenanas 
and  decaying  heathenism  of  India,'  and  she  has  been  sending 
her  sons  and  daughters  in  force  to  preach  the  Gospel  to  the 
waiting  Hindoos — subjects  of  a  Christian  government — God 
Himself,  in  spite  of  the  counsels  of  men,  has  been  bringing 
the  Chinese  heathen,  in  tens  and  scores  of  thousands,  and 
planting  them  on  this  Christian  soil." 

And  so  on,  ad  nauseum.  Such  is  the  underlying  thought 
of  the  missionary  class  who  have  written  upon  the  question 
of  Chinese  immigration,  and  such  are  the  doctrines  that  the 
American  people  at  large  have  partaken  of  with  avidity  and 
from  which  they  have  largely  based  their  opinions  upon  the 
question  of  the  national  policy  which  ought  to  be  adopted  in 
the  matter.  The  plain  and  logical  deduction  is,  that  if  Chi- 
nese immigration  into  the  United  States  is  ordained  by  God; 
if  it  is  His  will  that  it  should  be  so,  that  the  heathen  may  be 
converted  to  Christianity,  as  these  fervid  missionaries  as- 
sert, then  the  opposition  to  it  which  nearly  the  whole  people 
of  the  Pacific  coast  set  up  is  an  unpardonable  sin.  Then 
the  late  treaty  and  the  Restriction  Act  are  monumental 
national  sins;  then  are  we,  indeed,  in  danger  of  eternal  dam- 
nation. 

If  there  is  one  thing  next  after  idolatry  to  be  abhorred 
it   is   Christian  bigotry.      And  the   Chinaman  bowing  and 


MISSIONAEY  WRITERS.  67 

distorting  his  figure  before  some  hideous  idol  is  worthy  of 
no  severer  condemnation — not  to  say  contempt — than  the 
narrow-minded  Christian  bigot  who  in  this  enlightened  age 
promulgates  such  balderdash  as  this;  such  blasphemy,  in 
fact,  against  the  Supreme  Euler  of  the  universe  who,  as  the 
incarnation  of  love  for  his  Christian  children,  would  surely 
never  inflict  such  calamities  upon  them  as  those  which  follow 
in  the  train  of  Chinese  immigration,  even  that  the  seeds  of 
Christianity  might  be  sown  in  the  soil  of  Paganism.  Let 
Mr.  Gibson  stand  up  further  and  testify  as  to  what  has  been 
accomplished  in  this  work  of  Christianizing  pagans  thus 
brought  by  command  of  the  Creator  to  our  shores.  Let  us 
see  if  the  religious  theory  is  borne  out  by  practical  results, 
even  by  his  own  statement  of  the  case.  Meeting  face  to  face, 
here  in  this  Christian  land.  Idolatry  and  Christianity  have 
wrestled  with  each  other.  Let  Mr.  Gibson  furnish  us  with 
an  example  of  how  it  has  fared  with  each  in  the  contest,  by 
way  of  illustration : 

"  I  cannot  refrain  from  referring  just  here  to  what  seems 
to  be  blindness  on  the  part  of  the  Baptist  Missionary  So- 
ciety in  America.  The  first  Baptist  Church  of  Sau  Fran- 
cisco, a  large  and  commodious  building,  one  of  the  first,  and 
for  a  longtime  one  of  the  most  popular  Protestant  churches 
on  the  Pacific  coast,  was  situated  on  Washington  street,  just 
on  the  verge  of  Chinatown.  As  the  Chinese  population 
increased  and  began  to  swarm  on  Washington  street,  this 
church  became  less  and  less  available  for  the  use  of  an 
English-speaking  congregation,  but  every  day  it  became 
better  and  better  adapted  for  a  Chinese  Mission-house — 
better  located  for  this  purpose  than  the  property  that  any 
other  church  had  been  able  to  secure.  The  trustees  of  the 
church  and  the  Baptists  of  San  Francisco  saw  the  providen- 
tial indications,  and,  while  regretting  the  necessity  of  leaving 
their  temple  of  worship  and  commencing  anew  in  some  other 
locality,  they  rejoiced  that  their  house  might  still  continue 
to  be  a  temple  of  the  living  God,  and  be  used  as  a  strong 
fortress  of  the  blessed  Gospel  to  stay  the  tide  of  heathenism 
and  idolatry  which  was  beginning  to  surge  all  around  it." 


68  THE  INCONSISTENCIES  OF 

Just  here  let  us  pause  to  note  how  quick  the  Christian 
church  became  "  less"  and  less  available  "  for  worship,  how 
urgent  the  "necessity  of  leaving  their  temple  of  worship 
and  commencing  anew  in  some  other  locality"  became  as 
idolatry  in  solid  phalanx  advanced  upon  it.  Does  this  tend 
to  fortify  the  theory  that  the  Chinese  are  brought  here  by 
Divine  command  that  paganism  may  fall  before  the  resistless 
force  of  Christian  contact?  Does  this  cowardly  retreat  of 
a  Christian  church  speak  well  for  asserted,  sincere  determina- 
tion and  effort  to  convert  the  pagan  ?  Would  Christ  the 
Bedeemer  have  retreated  before  such  a  host?  But  let  us 
hear  from  Mr.  Gibson  further: 

"The  property  was  valued  at  $35,000;  but  the  trustees, 
willing  and  anxious  to  do  their  part  in  this  good  work, 
offered  the  property  to  the  Baptist  Missionary  Society  for  a 
Chinese  Mission  at  $25,000.  But  the  Society  strangely,  and 
as  it  seems  to  us  blindly,  declined  to  accept  the  offer  and 
undertake  the  work.  The  heathen  themselves  became  pur- 
chasers, and  what  was  lately  the  First  Baptist  Church  of 
San  Francisco  is  now  a  crowded  tenement  house,  full  of  all 
manner  of  filthiness,  shame  and  vice.  Where  but  lately 
was  the  altar  of  the  living  God,  now  smokes  the  incense  of 
idolatry.  That  sacred  temple  where  once  the  voice  of 
prayer  and  praise  to  God  was  heard,  now  echoes  with 
idolatrous  chants  and  bacchanalian  songs.  Instead  of 
standing  firm  against  these  incoming  hosts  of  idolatry  and 
sin,  the  church  of  Christ  has  beaten  an  ignominious  retreat, 
has  surrendered  without  a  struggle  one  of  her  strongest 
fortifications  and  retreated  in  disorder  before  the  swarming 
hosts  of  idolatry;  a  burning  shame,  a  standing  reproach  to 
Christianity  in  general,  and  to  the  Baptist  Missionary  So- 
ciety in  particular." 

Score  one  for  the  theory  of  the  religious  enthusiast  who 
sees  in  Chinese  immigration  a  Divine  dispensation  for  the 
uses  and  purposes  of  pagan  reformation. 

Let  us  resort  again  to  the  testimony  of  Mr.  Gibson,  to 
ascertain  what  advance,  according  to  his  statement,  Chris- 
tianity has  made  upon  this  grand  army  of  pagans  thus  as- 


MISSIONARY  WRITERS.  69 

sembled  here  at  the  Divine  command.  In  his  chapter  on 
missionary  effort,  he  gives  the  following  summary  up  to  May, 
1876,  showing  the 

"total  number  op  CHINESE  CHRISTIANS   BAPTIZED    IN   AMERICA." 

Presbyterian  Mission   80 

Presbyterian  Churches ...  46 

Methodist  Mission 44 

Methodist  Churches 5 

Congregational  Churches  ....  . 45 

Baptist  Mission,  San  Francisco 15 

Baptist  Mission,  Oregon 15 

Episcopalian  Churches 1 

Scattering,  not  reported 20 

Total 271 

But,  further  on  in  his  book,  in  the  chapter  on  "China- 
man or  White  Man — Which  ?"  he  says : 

' '  Now  the  facts  are — and  if  Father  Buchard  reads  the 
papers  he  ought  to  know  the  facts — that  as  the  result  of 
Protestant  efforts  in  this  direction  in  this  country,  about  one 
hundred  Chinamen  have  been  baptized  and  received  into 
the  various  churches." 

Again,  still  further  on,  in  the  reprint  of  his  testimony 
before  the  Congressional  Committee,  he  says: 

"  In  California  there  are  about  three  hundred  Chinese 
who  have  been  baptized  and  received  into  the  different  Pro- 
testant churches." 

And  yet,  once  more,  in  his  testimony  when  asked  how 
many  were  converted  to  Christianity,  by  the  Legislative 
Committee  in  1876,  he  says: 

"I  suppose  that  in  this  city  there  may  be,  in  all,  one 
hundred.     I  do  not  know." 

And  these  are  specimens  of  the  recklessness  of  statement 
with  which  this  book  abounds,  and  which  ought  to  condemn 
it  forever  to  the  limbo  of  public  pity  for  its  author  and  pub- 
lic disregard  for  its  assertions.     It  is  but  proper  to  repeat 


70  THE  INCONSISTENCIES  OF 

the  remark  that  it  is  this  kind  of  unreliable  teaching,  this 
persistent  recklessness  of  statement  on  the  part  of  mission- 
ary writers  especially,  that  have  misdirected  and  misled 
public  sentiment  upon  the  Chinese  question,  and  resulted  in 
the  perpetration  of  the  most  monstrous  crime  against  public 
morals,  against  the  Christian  religion,  against  the  welfare  of 
the  people  of  the  Pacific  coast,  and  indeed  of  the  whole  na- 
tion, that  will  ever  be  recorded  in  the  history  of  our  times 
when  it  comes  to  be  written. 

As  if  to  give  official  sanction  to  this  narrow-minded 
church  bigotry,  the  clergymen  composing  the  Puget  Sound 
Association  of  Congregational  Churches  held  their  annual 
meeting  at  Whatcom,  Washington  Territory,  recently,  and 
among  other  things  adopted  the  following  resolution : 

' '  Resolved,  That  this  Association  regards  the  present  law 
xidopted  by  the  United  States  Congress  for  the  exclusion  of 
Chinese  from  this  country  as  anti-Christian,  and  wholly  op- 
posed to  the  principles  of  our  free  institutions." 

Can  Christian  bigotry  be  guilty  of  more  intense  human 
folly  than  this,  in  the  light  of  the  facts  that  have  been  herein 
presented  ?  Men  who,  under  the  guise  of  ministration  of  tlie 
Gospel,  take  such  a  position  as  this,  so  inimical  to  the  wel- 
fai"e  of  their  own  race,  who  manifest  such  an  entire  indiffer- 
ence to  the  wrong  and  the  demoralizing  influences  which 
Chinese  immigration  inflicts  upon  the  youth  of  their  own 
jjeople,  and  such  an  intense  sympathy  for  the  heathen  horde 
that  this  class  of  immigration  throws  among  us,  are  not  only 
unworthy  of  their  sacred  calling,  but  are  alike  deserving  of 
the  contempt  of  the  real  Christian  world.  .Nothing  could 
more  forcibly  illustrate  the  infantile  capacity  of  the  clergy, 
as  a  class,  to  teach  lessons  in  political  and  social  economy  to 
the  practical  world;  nothing  can  more  perfectly  illustrate  the 
truth  of  the  aphorism  that  "  the  cobbler  should  stick  to  his 
last."  A  just  and  well-directed  criticism  upon  this  resolu- 
tion is  the  following  from  the  San  Francisco  Evening  Post, 
with  which  thia  branch  of  the  subject  may  be  dismissed: 


MISSIONARY  WRITERS.  71 

"The  Puget  Sound  brethren  are  evidently  afflicted  with 
that  deplorable  narrowness  of  vision  which  is  produced  by 
the  habit  of  looking  at  things  too  steadily  from  one  point  of 
view.  It  is  the  prevalence  of  this  infirmity  among  preachers 
which  accounts  for  the  fact  that  throughout  the  country  they 
are,  for  the  most  part,  arrayed  against  the  interests  of  labor, 
so  far  as  the  question  of  Chinese  immigration  goes.  From 
the  preaclier's  point  of  view  the  main  business  of  life  is  to 
make  converts  to  Christianity.  The  Chinaman  is  a  pagan, 
and  America  is  a  Christian  country;  therefore,  if  the  China- 
man can  be  brought  to  America  the  chances  of  converting 
him  are  better  than  if  he  remained  in  China  and  had  the 
gospel  carried  to  him  by  the  missionary.  This  is  the  clergy- 
man's argument,  and  it  is  logical  enough  so  far  as  it  goes; 
but  the  proposition  takes  in  too  few  factors.  The  minister, 
when  considering  the  Chinese  problem,  apparently  forgets 
for  the  time  being  that  white  people,  as  well  as  Chinamen, 
have  souls.  He  does  not  reflect  that  if  the  spiritual  part  of 
the  coolie  can  be  saved  by  bringing  him  here,  other  souls 
may  be  endangered  while  the  work  of  redemption  is  in  pro- 
gress. The  Mongolian  immigrant  does  not  surrender  all  his 
time  to  receiving  Christian  instruction.  A  considerable 
share  of  his  attention  is,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  given  to  earn- 
ing his  living.  While  doing  this  he  produces  effects  upon 
the  white  population  which  are  of  spiritual  as  well  as  mate- 
rial importance.  Because  of  the  low  price  at  which  he  sells 
his  labor,  he  drives  white  men  and  women  out  of  employ- 
ment, and  fills  the  places  which  should  be  open  to  our  chil- 
dren when  they  reach  the  working  age.  Idleness  is  thus 
forced  upon  a  considerable  part  of  the  population,  or  else  a 
style  of  cheap  and  dirty  living  must  be  accepted.  So  we 
find  that  the  Chinaman  v^ho  comes  for  the  gospel  brings  with 
him  for  our  own  people,  by  way  of  return  favors,  squalor, 
ignorance  and  vice — these  being  the  legitimate  chilclren  of 
such  wages  as  the  Chinaman  compels  his  competitors  to 
work  for.  As  squalor,  ignorance  and  vice  are  the  foes  of 
religion  always,  it  is  manifest  that  what  Christianity  may 
gain  in  Chinese  converts  is  more  than  lost  by  the  increase  of 
whites  who  become  degraded  below  the  influence  of  religion. 

' '  The  brethren  of  the  Puget  Sound  Association  will 
readily  admit  that  the  souls  of  fallen  women  are  worth  sav- 
ing. But  would  the  brethren  think  it  wise  to  open  the  doors 
of  their  houses  to  such  women  in  order  that  the  unfortu- 


72  CHINESE  CHEAP  LABOR 

-n^ies  miglit  be  surrounded  by  a  Christian  atmosphere,  es- 
pecially if  the  castaways  displayed  no  special  desire  to  be- 
come Chistians?  We  think  not;  yet  the  brethrec,  by  the 
resolution  we  have  quoted,  have  declared  that  the  American 
people,  in  deciding  that  they  will  keep  the  door  of  the  na- 
tional family  closed  to  those  polluting  Asiatics — a  case  pre- 
cisely analogous — have  acted  in  a  manner  '  anti-Chris- 
tiaa  and  wholly  opposed  to  the  principles  of  our  free  insti- 
tutions. ' " 


CHAPTER  VI. 


CHINESE   CHEAP   LABOR    FOR    THE    DEVELOPMENT    OF    CALIFORNIA. 

The  favorite  line  of  argument  with  the  pro-Chinese  theo- 
rists is,  that  the  industrial  resources  of  California  could  not 
be  developed  without  the  aid  of  "Chinese  cheap  labor." 
That  the  Central  Pacific  Eailroad  was  built  through  the 
agency  of  Chinese  labor;  that  every  agricultural  and  me- 
chanical industry  has  been  developed  through  this  agency; 
and,  in  fact,  the  whole  material  prosperity  of  the  Pacific 
coast  is  due  alone  to  this  "blessing  in  disguise"  which  a 
wise  Providence  has  conferred  upon  this  people. 

This  opens  up  a  new  theory  which  quite  upsets  the  Amer- 
ican boast  and  the  world's  recognition  of  American  energy 
and  ability  to  build  up  new  and  prosperous  communities, 
new  States,  and  new  cities  and  towns.  It  argues  that  we 
have  been  all  wrong  on  this  point,  and  that  we  are  a  supine 
and  helpless  race  who  have  been  long  waiting  for  some  such 
divine  dispensation  as  this  to  aid  us  in  our  undertakings. 

To  be  sure,  we  have,  in  a  slip-shod  sort  of  way,  managed 
to  push  civilization  during  the  past  half  century  out  into 
what  was  fifty  years  ago  a  wilderness,  and  that  we  have 
founded  and  built  up  great  populous  and  prosperous  States 


FOE  THE  DEVELOPMENT  OF  CALIFORNIA.  /      73 

in  that  wilderness,  doubled  and  quadrupled  our  national 
wealth,  threaded  the  land  with  thousands  of  miles  of  rail- 
roads, and  in  various  ways  managed  to  attain  quite  a  respec- 
table rank  among  nations ;  and  all  without  the  aid  of  "Chinese 
cheap  labor."  It  was  left  to  the  modern  political  economists, 
and  to  the  modern  missionary  writer  in  particular,  to  point 
out  the  fact  that  all  that  has  gone  before  is  a  mere  make- 
shift, and  that  heathen  help  is  the  necessity  of  the  hour  to 
enable  us  to  reach  the  true  zenith  of  our  national  glory.  Let 
us  hear  some  of  their  philosophic  disquisitions  on  this  point. 
The  Reverend  Mr.  Speer  comes  forward  with  the  following 
assertion : 

"  The  construction  of  railroads  has  given  employment  to 
eight  or  ten  thousand  at  a  time.  But  for  the  opportunity  to 
perform  this  work  by  Chinese  labor,  it  is  declared  by  the 
directors  of  the  Central  Pacific  Railroad  they  would  not  have 
dared  to  undertake  it." 

It  is  not  a  pleasant  task  to  be  constantly  called  upon  to 
disprove  statements  made  by  missionary  writers  upon  this 
subject;  it  is  an  unpleasant  duty  to  place  preachers  of  the 
gospel  in  the  attitude  of  falsifiers;  and  yet  what  is  to  be  done 
in  view  of  this  constant  iteration  and  reiteration  of  state- 
ments that  are  void  of  a  shadow  of  truth,  and  which  are 
made  merely  for  the  purpose  of  misleading  public  opinion 
and  educating  the  public  mind  in  wrong  directions  ?  This 
statement  that  the  directors  of  the  Central  Pacific  Railroad 
ever  declared  that  they  would  not  have  dared  to  undertake  the 
work  without  Chinese  labor  is  simply  not  true.  It  is  a  cre- 
ation of  the  mind  of  Mr.  Speer,  and  has  no  other  foundation 
to  rest  upon.     It  is  an  easy  matter  to  prove  this. 

In  the  course  of  the  investigation  of  the  Chinese  question 
by  the  Congressional  Committee,  some  years  ago,  Mr. 
Charles  Crocker,  one  of  the  directors  of  the  Central  Pacific 
Railroad,  testified  as  follows: 

Q . — Did  you  commence  the  construction  of  the  Certral 
Pacific  with  white  or  Chinese  labor? 

A. — We  commenced  with  white  labor. 


74  CHINESE  CHEAP  LABOR 

Q.  —  How  loug  did  jou  continue  it? 

A. — We  never  discontinued  it;  we  have  always  employed 
white  labor. 

Q. — I  mean,  how  long  did  you  continue  with  that  kind  of 
labor  exclusively? 

A. — We  continued  almost  a  year  and  a  half,  when  we 
found  we  could  not  get  sufficient  labor  to  progress  with  the 
road  as  fast  as  was  necessary,  and  felt  driven  to  the  necessity 
of  trying  Chinese  labor.  I  believe  that  all  our  people  were 
13rejudiced  against  Chinese  labor,  and  that  there  was  a  dis- 
position not  to  employ  them. 

All  this  cuts  no  important  fissure  in  the  real  matter  at 
issue,  except  so  far  as  it  goes  to  illustrate  once  more  the 
recklessness  of  statement  of  a  missionary  writer  upon  the 
subject  of  Chinese  immigration,  and  conclusively  demon- 
strates that  the  testimony  of  this  class  of  writers,  upon  the 
well-settled  principle  oi  falsus  in  uno  falsus  in  omnibus,  is 
practically  valueless.  For  what  shall  we  say  of  a  writer  upon 
this  subject  who  can  deliberately  promulgate  the  proposition 
that  "it  is  declared  by  the  directors  of  the  Central  Pacific  Rail- 
road they  luould  not  have  dared  to  undertake  it  bid  for  the  oppor- 
tunity to  'perform  it  with  Chinese  labor  "  in  the  face  of  this 
testimony  of  Mr.  Crocker's  ? 

Let  us  present  a  few  more  samples  of  the  deep  thought 
and  logical  reasoning  expended  upon  this  branch  of  the 
question  by  these  wise  political  economists,  our  friends  the 
missionaries  who  have  written  upon  the  subject.  Mr.  Gib- 
son says : 

"  Without  the  Chinese  we  could  not  manufacture  any- 
thing on  the  Pacific  Coast  and  compete  with  importations 
from  the  East." 

■5t  T^-  *  -sfr  •«■  * 

"  In  fruit  raising,  for  which  California  is  wonderfully 
adapted,  up  to  this  time  Chinese  labor  is  indispensable. 
Probably  not  a  single  strawberry  ranch  in  the  State  is  carried 
on,  or  could  be  carried  on  with  any  profit  without  the  employ- 
ment of  Chinese  labor.     This  is  a  kind  of  industry  in  which 


FOR  THE  DEVELOPMENT  OF  CALIFORNIA.  75 

the  Chinese  excel  all  competitors.  Yet  with  this  industry 
carried  on  almost  exclusively  by  "  Chinese  cheap  labor,''  our 
strawberries  cost  more  by  the  pound  than  in  New  York,  Phila- 
delphia and  Chicago." 

The  fallacy  of  the  propositions  here  stated  by  Mr.  Gibson 
will  be  easily  shown.  His  statement  as  to  the  relative  cost 
of  strawberries  in  San  Francisco  and  in  eastern  cities  may 
as  well  be  denounced  here,  however,  as  utterly  false,  and  so 
a,bsurd  in  its  conception,  so  ridiculous  to  the  mind  of  every 
Californian  who  knows  to  the  contrai'y,  that  it  suggests 
inquiring  into  the  question  of  the  sanity  of  the  man  who  \ 
could  utter  it.  \ 

"  The   Chinese   nearly,  if    not   wholly,  monopolize    the        ' 
manufacture  of  these  overalls  in  California.     But  then,  until 
the  Chinese  began  to  make  them,  none  were  made  on  this 
coast,  the  entire  supply  being  imported  from  the  East." 
*  *  *  *  -x-  * 

"  On  Washington  street,  the  Chinamen  manufacture  all '  ^O 
kinds  of  ladies'  lice  underwear.  Some  people  object  to 
this,  but  if  the  ladies  would  only  make  their  own,  the 
Chinamen  would  not  get  the  job.  We  can  hardly  blame  the 
Chinese  for  making  them.  Surely  it  is  better  that  the 
Chinamen  make  these  indispensable  articles  than  that  the 
dear  people  should  go  without  them." 

Our  reverend  political  economist  is  trying  his  hand  at 
philosophizing  and  satire,  in  addition  to  his  other  accom- 
plishments.    Again,  said  Mr.  Gibson: 

"  At  the  rates  of  labor  "^  *  "^  which  would  instantly 
prevail  were  the  Chinese  removed  from  our  midst,  not  one  of 
the  few  manufacturing  interests  which  have  lately  sprung  up 
on  these  shores  would  bj  maintained  a  single  day. 

"  Were  it  not  for  the  competition  of  Chinese  labor,  the         / 
few  woolen  mills,  rope  factories,  iron  foundries,  cabinet  fac-        ' 
tories,  shoe  factories,  and   such  like  industries   lately  com- 
menced, must  be  closed  at  once  " 

*  *  -^  *  -jfr  * 

"  So  this  Chinese  immigration,  by  reducing  the  price  of 
unskilled  labor  to  a  point  where  capital  can  afford  to  employ 
it,  will  tend  to  multiply  our  industries  and  enrich  the  State, 


CHINESE  CHEAP  LABOR 

and  in  this  way  they  will  certainly  open  doors  for  the  em- 
ployment of  thousands  of  white  laborers  who  otherwise 
could  not  find  employment  oa  these  shores,  so  that  the 
Chinese,  instead  of  displacing  or  lessening  the  demand  for 
white  laborers,  really  stimulate  the  demand  and  create  a 
market  for  more." 

This  is  the  chatter  of  shallow  thinkers.  It  is  profitless 
to  follow  it.  Is  it  not  the  essence  of  folly  to  presume  for  an 
instant  that  the  Central  Pacific  Railroad  would  not  have 
been  built  had  it  not  been  for  Chinese  cheap  labor  ?  An 
enterprise  so  liberally  endowed  as  that  was  by  the  General 
Government,  and  aided  by  local  authorities  in  this  JState. 
True  it  is,  that  the  enterprising  men  who  entered  upon  and 
accomplished  that  great  work  would  not  have  made  as  many 
millions  as  they  did  by  reason  of  their  employment  of 
Chinese  cheap  labor;  but  would  not  the  profit  have  been 
great  enough  to  have  furnished  the  incentive  to  prosecute 
the  work  by  the  aid  of  American  labor,  and  would  not  the 
distribution  of  the  wages,  and  such  portion  of  the  extra 
profit  which  they  made  by  the  employment  of  Chinese, 
among  American  laborers,  have  been  vastly  better  for  the 
State,  the  country  and  for  civilized  human  happiness  than  is 
the  case  with  the  wages  earned  and  carried  back  to  China, 
and  this  extra  profit  concentrated  in  a  few  hands  ?  Is  it  not 
true  in  regard  to  every  industry  that  has  been  developed 
through  the  medium  of  Chinese  cheap  labor  in  California  ? 
Has  it  not  resulted  in  enriching  the  few  who  employed  their 
labor  for  these  purposes,  sent  so  much  earned  wage  money 
out  of  the  country  instead  of  distributing  the  wages  and  the 
extra  profit  thus  made  among  American  laborers  ?  Assume, 
if  we  please,  that  many  of  these  industries  would  not  have 
been  developed  unless  this  class  of  labor  had  been  at  hand 
and  available:  is  that  an  argument  in  its  favor?  Does 
American  prosperity  rest  upon  this  mean,  selfish  line  of 
policy?  Is  not  the  "greatest  good  to  the  greatest  number" 
the  rule  that  should  prevail  to  the   exclusion   of  all  other 


FOR  THE  DEVELOPMENT  OF  CALIFORNIA. 

theories  ?  Wherein  does  the  market  value  of  labor — skilled 
and  unskilled — differ  in  civilized  communities  from  the  mar- 
ket value  of  commodities  ?  The  laws  of  supply  and  demand 
govern  it  as  they  govern  the  value  of  commodities.  The 
exception  to  the  rule  is  found  in  the  States  of  the  Pacific 
Coast,  California  especially,  for  these  reasons.  Labor  is 
high  in  this  section  to-day,  comparatively  speaking,  notwith- 
standing the  presence  of  the  Chinese.  And  the  simple 
reason  is  that  American  laborers  will  not  flock  to  these 
shores,  high  though  the  wages  may  be,  because  they  will 
not  enter  into  competition  with  Chinese.  And  assume  that 
they  did,  would  not  the  Chinaman,  with  his  rat-like  mode  of 
life,  still  "  cut  under,"  though  the  American  laborer  came 
"like  an  army  with  banners?"  And  would  he  not,  as  the 
cheaper  laborer,  still  be  employed  by  the  capitalist  until 
the  prices  of  labor,  in  order  to  hold  their  vantage  ground, 
had  dropped  even  to  the  standard  of  labor  in  the  Flowery 
Kingdom  itself,  while  the  Chinaman,  from  his  slum  and  his 
burrow,  still  grinned  defiance  to  his  American  competitor  ? 
How,  then,  can  the  American  free  laborer  ever  compete  with 
Chinese  cheap  labor  if  the  horde  still  flows  in  upon  us  and 
swamps  him  in  the  depths  of  their  own  degradation  ? 

There  is  another  view  of  the  effects  of  Chinese  cheap 
labor  in  the  development  of  the  agricultural  industries  of 
California,  which  has  not  heretofore  been  dwelt  upon,  if  it 
has  been  promulgated  at  all.  The  grain  or  fruit  growers 
testify  that  they  could  not  carry  on  their  enterprises  success- 
fully except  for  Chinese  labor.  That  is  to  say,  the  large 
land  owner  or  cultivator  could  not  conduct  his  business  at 
a  satisfactory  profit  without  this  labor.  Now  the  cry  has 
been  for  years  that  California  lacks  population;  but  what  is 
wanted  is  the  laboring,  productive  classes,  with  their  fami- 
lies, to  occupy  the  uncultivated  lands  and  to  enlarge  both 
our  population  of  producers  and  our  consumers.  But  what 
is  the  first  difficulty  met  with  in  increasing  our  population 
with   this   desirable   material?     Simply,  in  the   first  place. 


CHINESE  CHEAP  LABOE 

at  the  land  is  held  by  large  owners,  and  at  prices  too  high 
to  induce  this  class  of  population  to  come  here,  so  long  as 
they  can  obtain  good  lands  in  the  intermediate  Territories 
at  figures  but  little  beyond  the  government  price.  And  why 
is  land  so  held  here,  in  such  large  tracts,  and  at  from  thirty 
to  three  hundred  dollars  an  acre,  except  that  by  reason  of 
this  Chinese  cheap  labor  available  for  the  capitalists  who 
so  hold  such  lands,  they  are  made  to  pay  a  profit  per  acre, 
which  makes  the  land  worth  these  prices  to  them,  and  at  less 
than  which  they  naturally  will  not  sell.  Now,  suppose  this 
Chinese  cheap  labor  had  not  been  here — had  not  been  avail- 
able— would  not  the  land-owner  gladly  have  parted  with  it 
at  prices  sufficiently  low  to  have  induced  immigration  and 
purchase  by  the  small  farmer  ?  and  would  not  the  State  have 
been  far  more  largely  the  gainer,  through  this  system  of  de- 
velopment of  her  industries  and  her  resources,  than  she  is 
to-day  by  the  system  which  calls  a  thousand-acre  farm,  or  a 
hundred-or-so-acre  vineyard,  into  existence  to  enrich  a  few 
large  land-owners,  and  thousands  of  Chinese  who  depart 
from  the  country  with  their  gains,  and  leave  nothing  but  their 
heritage  of  disease  and  vice  behind  them  as  their  contribution 
to  the  weKare  of  the  country  ? 

What  is  true  touching  the  land  question  in  this  connec- 
tion is  true  touching  manufactures.  How  many  of  our  own 
people  are  the  gainers  by  the  manufactures  which  are  carried 
on  in  Chinatown,  and  in  California,  in  fact,  by  reason  of  the 
use  of  Chinese  cheap  labor?  Tou  may  count  them  upon 
your  fingers.  They  embrace  a  few  rich  firms  who  employ 
this  labor  for  their  own  profit,  to  the  exclusion  of  the  thou- 
sands of  white  laborers  to  whom  it  would  otherwise  fall,  and 
hundreds  of  smaller  capitalists  who  necessarily  take  the 
place  of  employers.  Take  the  article  of  overalls,  for  exam- 
ple, which  are  manufactured  in  "  Chinatown"  in  enormous 
quantities.  They  are  sold  in  the  market  simply  at  prices  a 
shade  lower  than  the  same  article  manufactured  in  the  East 
could  be  laid  down  here  for,  and  the  very  laboring  classes 


FOR  THE  DEVELOPMENT  OF  CALIFOENIA.  79 

of  this  coast  who  cry  out  most  loudly  and  most  justly  against 
Chinese  labor  are  the  men  who  purchase  and  wear  them — 
the  very  consumers  of  the  article.  The  few  rich  houses  for 
whom  they  are  manufactured  reap  the  enormous  profit  thus 
derived  from  Chinese  labor,  while  the  Chinaman  gets  away 
with  the  money  that  should  rightfully  go  to  feed  the  families 
of  the  white  men  and  women  into  whose  hands  this,  and  all 
other  like  manufactures,  would  inevitably  have  fallen  in 
due  course  long  before  this,  had  Chinese  labor  not  been 
here  at  hand.  It  results,  then,  in  enriching  the  few  capital- 
ists and  the  Chinamen  themselves,  and  grinds  the  white 
laborer  down,  into  a  grade  of  poverty  that  must  inevitably 
grow  worse  and  worse — if  this  immigration  is  to  continue — 
until  the  Chinese  level  in  modes  of  life  has  been  reached  by 
white  men  and  women  alike — until  tlie  predicted  assimila- 
tion shall  have  been  accomplished  by  finding  them  reveling 
in  the  same  slum  and  sleeping  in  the  same  burrow  together. 
Such  is  the  true  picture  of  the  development  of  the  industries 
and  resources  of  California  by  means  of  Chinese  cheap  labor, 
which  industries,  we  are  told  by  the  advocates  of  the  system, 
could  not  exist  here  were  it  not  for  the  advantages  which 
this  class  of  labor  oilers. 

Thoughtful  men  who  will  reason  upon  this  feature  of 
this  absorbing  subject,  who  will  dismiss  theory  and  religious 
or  political  sentimentalism  from  their  minds,  who  will  rea- 
son solely  from  cause  to  efi'ect,  taking  any  example  of  the 
relation  of  labor  to  capital  that  may  suggest  itself  to  their 
minds,  will  arrive  at  no  other  conclusion  than  that  these 
frequent  assertions  that  the  resources  and  industries  of  Cali- 
fornia could  not  be  develoj)ed  without  Chinese  free  labor, 
are  the  veriest  fallacies  that  ever  obtained  lodgment  in  the 
human  brain;  that  they  violate  every  precept  of  sound 
political  philosophy,  and  foster  the  perpetuation  of  a  too 
long  practiced  public  wrong.  No  man  of  ordinary  intelli- 
gence who  will  study  the  question  can  reach  any  other  con- 
clusion then  this,  unless  he  be  blinded  by  prejudice;  and  no 


80  CHINESE  CHEAP  LABOR 

man  of  ordinary  intelligence  will  ever  permit  himself  to  be 
so  blinded. 

The  "Address  to  the  People  of  the  United  States," 
issued  by  the  California  Legislative  Committee  of  1876, 
covered  this  and  kindred  points  so  clearly  and  so  completely 
that  an  extended  extract  from  it  may  well  find  a  place  here. 
For  it  cannot  be  too  often  presented  to  the  consideration  of 
the  people  of  the  whole  nation,  and  the  truths  that  it  incul- 
cates might  well  find  a  place  in  the  text  books  of  the  public 
schools  of  every  town  and  hamlet  of  the  Republic: 

"In  considering  the  Chinese  question,  it  is  necessary  to 
remember  that  however  true  economic  axioms  are,  their  ap- 
plicability depends  upon  the  character  of  the  convictions 
held  by  those  who  are  to  exercise  final  judgment  regarding 
them.  Thus,  it  may  be  perfectly  true,  in  an  economic  point 
of  view,  that  capital  ought  to  be  free  to  employ  the  cheapest 
labor  it  can  procure.  It  may  also  be  perfectly  true  that 
the  employment  of  cheap  labor  stimulates  manufactures  and 
quickens  the  creation  of  capital.  But  it  does  not  at  all 
necessarily  follow  that  the  effects  of  an  unlimited  supply  of 
cheap  labor  are  beneficial  to  the  majority,  and  in  a  country 
where  the  majority  rule  it  must  be  ultimately  impossible  to 
gain  consent  to  economic  systems  which  cannot  be  shown 
to  produce  this  general  satisfactory  result.  Nor  are  the 
staple  arguments  of  the  political  economists  proof  against 
the  single  fact  that  under  a  government  by  universal  suffrage 
it  is  impossible  to  persuade  the  masses  into  accepting  a  ruin- 
ous competition  with  cheap  labor.  But  in  truth  there  are 
two  distinct  theories  of  political  economy  at  present  in  con- 
flict, and  it  is  easy  to  see  that  their  radical  differences  are 
due  to  the  differences  of  political  systems.  The  European 
theory  may  be  said  to  leave  the  personal  equation  out  of 
consideration  altogether.  It  assumes  at  the  outset  that  the 
production  of  capital  is  the  alpha  and  omega  of  industry 
and  commerce,  and  it  takes  for  granted  that  wealth  means 
success.  Cheap  labor,  according  to  this  theory,  is  always 
acceptable,  and  competition  should  be  left  free  to  regulate 
wages.  If  the  workingman  cannot  earn  more  than  bread 
and  water  because  of  the  fierceness  of  competition,  he  must 
accept  his  meagre  fare  cheerfully,  and  console  himself  with 
the  reflection  that  the  laws  of  supply  and  demand  have  settled 


POR  THE  DEVELOPMENT  OF  CAUEORNIA.  81 

his  lot  for  him,  and  that  complaint  is  useless.  In  countries 
where  the  voice  of  labor  is  powerless,  and  where  the  usage 
of  centuries,  has  ac3ustomed  men  to  this  life-long  struggle 
for  the  bare  necessaries  of  life,  this  theory  is  endured.  But 
the  United  States  represent  a  different  form  of  government, 
a  form  of  government  which  begins  by  recognizing  popular 
rights,  and  goes  on  recognizing  them  to  the  end.  Here  the 
people  are  the  government,  and,  as  in  all  nations,  the  ma- 
jority must  work  for  a  subsistence,  the  question  whether  the 
majority  shall  work  for  starvation  wages,  or  shall  insist 
upon  reasonable  remuneration,  can  only  be  answered  in  one 
way.  And  thus  out  of  this  more  popular  form  of  govern- 
ment has  arisen  what  may  be  called  the  new  political  econ- 
omy. This  is  the  theory  that  takes  largest  account  of  the 
personal  equation,  instead  of  ignoring  it;  which  lays  down 
the  proposition  that  the  greatest  happiness  to  the  greatest 
number  is  the  true  end  and  aim  of  all  legislation  and  govern- 
ment, and  which  holds  that  great  aggregate  wealth  is  a  far 
inferior  desideratum  to  general  moderate  prosperity.  It  is 
from  tliis  especially  American  standpoint  that  the  Chinese 
question  must  be  discussed,  for  assuredly  it  will  at  last  be 
settled  in  accordance  with  these  views.  Let  it  be  shown 
that  without  the  Chinaman  our  local  industries  would  be 
paralyzed;  that  our  manufacturers  could  not  compete  with 
Eastern  rivals;  that  a  great  many  undertakings  involving 
much  capital  would  fail.  All  this  may  be  granted,  and  yet 
all  this  is  insignificant  when  the  broader  aspect  of  the  ques- 
tion comes  to  be  considered.  For,  after  all,  what  is  it  that 
we  are  doing  here  upon  the  Pacific  Coast  ? 

"  Are  we  engaged  in  building  up  a  civilized  empire, 
founded  upon  and  permeated  with  the  myriad  influences  of 
Caucasian  culture  ?  or  are  we  merely  planted  here  for  the 
purpose  of  fighting  greedily,  each  for  his  own  hand,  and 
of  spoiling  a  country  for  whose  future  we  have  no  care  ? 
If  the  latter,  then  indeed  we  should  welcome  Chinese  labor, 
and  should  encourage  its  advent  until  it  had  driven  white 
labor  out  of  the  field.  But  if  we  have  higher  duties — if  we 
owe  obligations  to  our  race,  to  our  civilization,  to  our  kin- 
dred blood,  to  all  that  23roclaims  our  common  origin  and 
testifies  to  the  harmony  and  consistence  of  our  aims — then 
assuredly  w^e  must  decide  that  the  Chinaman  is  a  factor 
hostile  to  the  prosperity,  the  progress,  and  the  civilization 
of  the  American  people.     And  be  it  observed  that,  however 

6 


82  CHINESE  CHEAP  LABOR 

broad  our  pliilosopliy,  it  mustnecessarily  be  limited  by  race, 
nationality  and  kindred  civilization.  We  owe  allegiance  to 
those  whose  blood  runs  in  our  veins;  to  those  who  boast  a 
community  of  ancestry,  of  literature,  of  progi'ess  in  all  its 
forms  and  phases.  Europe,  not  Asia,  appeals  to  us,  and  we 
should  be  recreant  to  those  instincts  which  are  often  the 
safest  guides  if  we  imperiled  the  future  of  our  own  race  by 
subjecting  them  to  a  competition  for  which  they  are  unfitted, 
and  the  only  effect  of  which  could  be  to  brutalize  and  de- 
teriorate them .  There  are  some  very  *  advanced '  thinkers 
who  maintain  that  competition  is  the  truest  test  of  superior- 
ity, and  who  even  go  so  far  as  to  assert  that  if  American 
labor  cannot  compete  with  Chinese  labor  the  fact  proves  its 
essential  inferiority,  and  indicates  the  Chinese  as  the  com- 
ing race.  Now,  perhaps,  if  we  were  on  the  lookout  for  a 
civilization,  and  were  prepared  to  judge  dispassionately  be- 
tween all  comers,  we  might  be  persuaded  by  such  arguments, 
and  might  regard  with  indifference,  or  even  approval,  the 
prospect  of  the  Mongolianization  of  this  whole  country. 
But  as  the  case  stands,  we  already  possess  a  civilization,  and 
it  is  American  and  not  Chinese.  Imperfect  as  it  may  be,  and 
full  of  defects,  it  is  at  least  our  own,  and  it  represents  the 
labors,  the  thoughts,  the  aspirations,  the  struggles  of  men 
of  our  own  race  and  blood.  To  it  we  must  therefore  cling, 
and  whatever  possibilities  of  development  we  have  must  be 
grafted  upon  it.  For  the  Chinaman  we  have  no  hard  feel- 
ings, and  no  senseless  hatred.  We  willingly  admit  that  he 
offers  a  tremendous  temptation  to  capitalists,  and  to  all 
others  who  need  work  done  at  low  rates.  But  when  all  is 
said  that  can  be  said  in  his  favor,  we  still  fall  back  upon  the 
consideration  that  it  is  American  and  not  Chinese  civiliza- 
tion that  we  are  trying  to  build  up,  and  that  since  Chinese 
labor  means  American  destitution,  we  must  rid  ourselves  of 
it.  To  such  as  think  differently,  we  would  further  say: 
Do  you  believe  that  the  intelligent  millions  of  workingmen 
who  possess  votes  in  these  United  States  can  be  persuaded 
into  abandoning  what  is  practically  the  defense  of  their 
means  of  livelihood  ?  The  Chinese  question  has  not  as  yet 
penetrated  throughout  the  country;  but  it  will,  and  then  the 
verdict  will  be  given.  At  bottom  it  is  the  poison  of  slavery 
that  rankles  in  this  Chinese  question,  and  the  jDCople  must 
realize  that  truth  also.  It  is  not  a  mere  question  of  com- 
parative wages,  but  of  civilization  and  progress." 


FOR  THE  DEVELOPMENT  OF  CALIPORNIA.  83 

"A  serious  objection  to  slavery  as  it  existed  in  the  Soutli- 
ern  States  was  that  it  tended  to  degrade  white  labor.  The 
very  same  objection  exists  against  Chinese  labor  in  this 
State.  The  recent  troubles  in  San  Francisco  are  attributed 
to  a  class  commonl}^  known  as  "hoodlums"- — young  men 
who  have  grown  up  in  idleness,  without  occupation  of  any 
kind,  and  who,  in  various  ways,  jDrey  upon  society.  This 
class  is  peculiar  to  San  Francisco.  Many  of  our  best  think- 
ers argue  that  it  owes  its  existence  to  the  presence  of  a  large 
Chinese  population.  For  several  years  after  the  settlement 
of  this  State  by  Americans  the  population  was  an  adult  pop- 
ulation. There  were  no  boys.  The  Chinese  naturally  fell 
into  the  posi^ons  occupied  by  and  did  the  work  that  in  other 
countries  was  assigned  to  boys.  As  boys  grew  up  they  found 
these  places  filled  by  Chinese,  and  very  naturally  looked 
upon  the  labor  they  performed  as  servile  and  degrading. 
Their  pride — whether  true  or  false  is  immaterial — kept  them 
from  entering  the  lists  by  the  side  of  an  abhorred  race.  If 
this  view  of  the  subject  is  correct,  a  fearful  responsibility 
rests  at  the  door  of  the  advocates  of  Chinese  labor.  The 
Chinese  are  employed  as  agricultural  laborers.  The  em- 
ployment in  most  cases  is  not  of  individuals,  but  is  of  a 
drove,  held  in  some  sort  of  dependence  by  a  head  man  or 
agent  of  the  Chinese  companies.  The  workmen  live  in  sheds 
or  in  straw  stacks,  do  their  own  cooking,  have  no  homes,  and 
are  without  interest  in  their  work  or  the  country.  The  white 
laborer  who  would  compete  with  them  must  not  only  pursue 
the  same  kind  of  a*  life,  but  must  like  them  abdicate  his  in- 
dividuality. The  conseqviences  would  be  lamentable  even  if 
the  white  laborer  should  succeed  by  such  means  in  driving 
the  Asiatic  from  the  field.  We  would,  in  that  event,  have  a 
laboring  class  without  homes,  without  families,  and  without 
any  of  the  restraining  influences  of  society. 

"The  slave  owner  at  the  South  had  an  interest  in  his  labor- 
ers, and  even  if  the  voice  of  humanity  was  silenced,  yet  that 
interest  made  him  care  for  them.  He  gave  them  houses  to 
live  in,  took  care  of  them  in  sickness,  and  supported  them 
when  old  age  rendered  them  incapable.  The  owner  of  Chi- 
nese laborers  in  this  State  has  no  such  interest.  His  inter- 
est is  co-extensive  with  and  limited  by  the  ability  of  his 
slave  to  earn  money.  In  sickness  he  turns  him  over  to  the 
charity  of  the  public.  When  disabled  by  age,  he  leaves 
him  to  fate.     It  takes  no  prophet  to  foretell  that  if  white 


84  CHINESE  CHEAP  LABOR 

labor  is  brought  down  to  the  level  of  Asiatic  labor  the  white 
laborer  will  meet  like  treatment. 

"Again,  it  can  be  truly  said  that  slavery  and  its  interests 
produced  at  the  South  a  large  body  of  intelligent  and  able 
statesmen,  who,  in  the  conflict  between  capital  and  labor, 
threw  into  the  scale  the  weight  of  their  power  in  behalf  of 
labor.  Their  constituents  were  the  proprietors  of  labor. 
The  representative  naturally  consulted  the  interest  of  his 
constituents,  and  was  invariably  found  the  powerful  advo- 
cate of  industrial  interests.  This  was  a  favorable  side  of 
slavery  as  it  existed  in  the  South,  and  to  this  extent,  at  least, 
Southern  slavery  exercised  a  beneficial  influence  wholly  lack- 
ing in  Chinese. 

'*  The  slaves  of  the  South  were,  as  a  race,  kim^and  faithful. 
The  Chinese,  as  a  race,  are  cruel  and  treacherous.  In  this — 
by  contrast — ail  the  advantage  was  with  Southern  slavery. 

"  On  the  whole  it  is  our  judgment  that  unrestricted  Chi- 
nese immigration  tends  more  strongly  to  the  degradation  of 
labor,  and  to  the  subversion  of  our  institutions,  than  did 
slavery  at  the  South.  It  has  all  of  the  disadvantages  of 
African  slavery,  and  none  of  its  compensations. 

"The  effect  of  this  immigration  is  to  prevent  that  of  a  more 
desirable  class.  There,  again,  in  the  mere  matter  of  dollars 
and  cents,  the  country  at  large  is  a  loser.  These  people 
bring  no  money  with  them,  while  it  is  assumed,  on  the  most 
credible  evidence,  that  one  hundred  dollars  at  least  is  the 
average  amount  in  possession  of  each  European  immigrant. 
A  well-known  social  economist  estimates  the  capital  value 
of  every  laborer  that  comes  from  Europe  and  settles  in  this 
country  at  fifteen  hundred  dollars.  This  value  rests  upon 
the  fact  that  such  laborer  makes  this  country  his  home, 
creates  values,  and  contributes  to  the  support  of  the  nation. 
The  Chinese  laborer,  on  the  contrary,  makes  a  draft  upon 
the  w^ealth  of  the  nation,  takes  from  instead  of  adding  to 
its  substance.  Not  less  than  one  hundred  and  eighty  million 
dollars  in  gold  have  been  abstracted  from  this  State  alone 
by  Chinese  laborers,  while  they  have  contributed  nothing  to 
the  State  or  national  wealth. 

"  Given  in  place  of  one  hundred  and  twenty -five  thousand 
Chinese  laborers  the  same  number  of  male  European  immi- 
grants, and  the  result  may  be  stated  in  figures,  as  follows : 


FOR  THE  DEVELOPMENT  OF  CALIFORNIA.  85 

Amount  of  money  brought  into  the  country,  $100  each $  12,500,000 

Capital  value  of  125,000  European  male  laborers,  at  $1,500  each.  187,500,000 
Add  gold  abstracted  by  Chinese  laborers 1 80,000,000 


$380,000,000 


"Thus,  it  is  beyond  question  that,  from  a  purely  finan- 
cial point  of  view,  the  United  States  is  loser  nearly  four 
hundred  millions  of  dollars  by  Chinese  immigration — a  sum 
which,  if  distributed  throughout  the  country  now,  would  go 
far  toward  alleviating  present  want  and  misery. 

"If  it  was  true  that  no  real  objection  existed  to  the  pres- 
ence of  a  lame  Chinese  population;  if  it  was  true  that  the 
wrong  and  Stiry  to  the  whites  existed  only  in  the  imagina- 
tion of  the  people  of  this  country,  even  then  we  would  insist 
that  this  immigration  be  restricted.  This  is  a  republic, 
dependent  for  its  existence,  not  upon  force,  but  upon  the  will 
and  consent  of  the  people — upon  their  satisfaction  with  the 
government.  Yv'^hen  that  satisfaction  ceases,  will  and  con- 
sent will  be  withdrawn.  Therefore,  it  behooves  the  repre- 
sentatives of  the  people,  charged,  in  part,  with  the  adminis- 
tration of  that  government,  to  wisely  consider  not  only  real 
but  fancied  causes  of  dissatisfaction.  If  it  be  found  that  the 
presence  of  the  Chinese  element  is  a  constant  source  of  irri- 
tation and  annoyance  to  our  peoj^le,  that  it  is  not  here  to 
assimilate  and  become  part  of  the  body  politic,  that  no  good, 
or  but  little,  results  from  its  presence,  it  does  seem  that  the 
mere  dissatisfaction  of  the  people  with  its  presence  should 
be  cause  for  grave  concern  on  the  part  of  the  government. 

"But  it  is  said  that  action  on  our  part  tending  to  restrict 
Chinese  immigration  would  redound  to  the  injury  of  com- 
mercial relations  with  that  Empire.  There  is  not  the  slight- 
est foundation  in  fact  for  any  such  notion.  The  govern- 
ment of  China  is  opposed  to  the  immigration.  All  of  the 
witnesses  agree  upon  this  point. 

* '  The  people  of  the  Eastern  States  of  the  Union  may  not  at 
present  directly  suffer  from  competition  with  these  people, 
but  they  cannot  but  be  sensible  that  State  lines  constitute  no 
barrier  to  the  movement  of  the  Chinese;  that  as  soon  as  the 
Pacific  States  are  filled  with  this  population  it  will  overflow 
upon  them.  The  Chinese  Empire  could  spare  a  population 
far  in  excess  of  the  population  of  the  United  States,  and  not 


86  CHINESE  CHEAP  LABOR 

feel  the  loss.  Unless  tliis  influx  of  Chinese  is  prevented,  all 
the  horrors  of  the  immigration  will  in  a  few  years  be  brought 
home  to  the  people  of  the  Eastern  States,  While  the  States 
east  of  the  Mississippi  do  not  directly  feel  the  effects  of 
Chinese  immigration,  they  are  indirectly  affected  by  it.  The 
Eastern  manufacturer,  for  instance,  of  coarse  boots  and 
shoes,  is  driven  out  of  the  California  market.  He  finds  it 
stocked  with  the  products  of  Chinese  labor.  The  profits 
that  would  accrue  to  the  manufacturer  in  the  East  and  his 
employes  have  been  diverted,  and  flow  in  a  steady  stream  to 
China. 

''Already,  to  the  minds  of  many,  this  immigration  begins 
to  assume  the  nature  and  proportions  of  a  4angerou8  un- 
armed invasion  of  our  soil.  Twenty  years  ^  of  increasing 
Chinese  immigration  will  occupy  the  entire  Pacific  Coast  to 
the  exclusion  of  the  white  population.  Many  of  our  people 
are  confident  that  the  whole  coast  is  yet  to  become  a  mere 
colony  of  China.  All  the  old  empires  have  been  conquered 
by  armed  invasions;  but  North  and  South  America  and  the 
continent  of  Australia  have  been  conquered  and  wrested 
from  their  native  inhabitants  by  peaceable,  unarmed  inva- 
sions. Nor  is  this  fear  entirely  groundless  as  to  the  Pacific 
Coast,  for  it  is  in  keeping  with  the  principles  which  govern 
the  changes  of  modern  dynasties,  and  the  advance  guard  is 
already  upon  our  shores.  The  immigration  which  is  needed 
to  offset  and  balance  that  from  China  is  xetarded  by  the  con- 
dition of  the  labor  question  on  this  coast,  and  we  have  reason 
to  expect  that  within  ten  years  the  Chinese  will  equal  in 
number  the  whites.  In  view  of  these  facts,  thousands  of 
our  people  are  beginning  to  feel  a  settled  exasperation — a 
profound  sense  of  dissatisfaction  with  the  situation.  Hith- 
erto this  feeling  has  been  restrained,  and  the  Chinese  have 
had  the  full  protection  of  our  laws.  It  may  be  true  that  at 
rare  intervals  acts  of  violence  have  been  committed  toward 
them;  but  it  is  also  true  that  punishment  has  swiftly  fol- 
lowed. Our  city  Criminal  Courts  invariably  inflict  a  severer 
punishment  for  offenses  committed  upon  Chinese  than  for 
like  offenses  committed  against  whites.  The  people  of  this 
State  have  been  more  than  patient.  We  are  satisfied  that  the 
condition  of  aftairs  as  they  exist  in  San  Francisco  would  not 
be  tolerated  without  a  resort  to  violence  in  any  Eastern  city. 
It  is  the  part  of  wisdom  to  anticipate  the  day  when  patience 
may  cease,  and,  by  wise  legislation,  avert  its  evils.     Impend- 


rOE  THE  DEVELOPMENT  OF  C.iLIFOENIA.  87 

ing  difficulties  of  this  character  should  not,  in  this  advanced 
age,  be  left  to  the  chance  arbitrament  of  force.  These  are 
questions  which  ought  to  be  solved  by  the  statesman  and 
philanthropist,  and  not  bj  the  soldier." 


CHAPTER  Vn. 


THE   POINTS   OF   VIEW. 

The  American  people  look  at  the  question  of  Chinese 
immigration  from  two  distinct  points  of  view.  The  people 
of  the  Pacific  coast — -all  classes  alike — taught  a  bitter  lesson 
of  trouble  and  public  disaster  by  long  years  of  practical 
experience  which  the  presence  of  this  people  involves, 
stand  practically  as  a  unit,  and  would  vote  with  unanimous 
accord  to  put  an  end  to  Chinese  immigration  altogether  as 
by  far  the  wiser  and  more  just  course  to  pursue  in  dealing 
with  the  question,  than  to  hamper  it  with  contingent  proT)0- 
sitions  looking  to  the  preservation  of  commercial  relations 
with  China,  or  any  like  suggestion  with  which  its  discussion 
has  heretofore  been  coupled. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  people  of  the  Atlantic  seaboard 
regard  the  question  purely  from  the  standpoint  of  their  own 
local  self-interest.  They  look  to  China  as  a  market  for  their 
manufactures  and  a  field  for  American  enterprise.  They 
disregard  the  serious,  vital,  social  and  political  consequences 
growing  out  of  the  presence  of  the  Chinese  among  us,  and 
the  dangers  involved  in  an  unrestricted  enlargement  of  their 
numbers,  which  must  necessarily  follow  if  their  theories  are 
accepted,  until  the  land  swarms  with  them  as  the  ant-hill 
swarms  with  its  ceuntless  throng  of  inhabitants.  Add  to 
this  the  religious  side  of  the  controversy,  which,  however 
innocently  of  wrong  intent,  would  ignore  the  fact  that  for 


88  POINTS  OF  VIEW. 

every  Cliinese  soul  saved  by  missionary  effort  among  them 
here,  a  hundred  lives  of  American  youth  are  ruined — if  not 
a  hundred  souls  irretrievably  lost — and  would  still  insist 
upon  their  coming  in  order  that  this  missionary  work  may 
not  be  interrupted,  and  the  relative  differences  of  point  of 
view  from  which  the  question  is  considered,  become  clearly 
apparent. 

Submitted  for  a  verdict  from  fair-minded  public  opinion, 
with  which  side  ought  to  rest  the  victory  ?  Can  it  be  possi- 
ble that  the  practically  unanimous  voice  of  the  million 
American  people  of  the  Pacific  coast  whose  conclusions  upon 
this  great  question  have  been  arrived  at  after  more  than 
thirty  years  of  direct  contact  with  this  race  of  people — can  it 
be  possible  that  they  are  incompetent  to  testify  truthfully 
and  justly,  speaking  from  practical  knowledge,  as  they  do, 
and  that  the  only  class  competent  to  pass  upon  the  issue  are 
those  whose  minds  are  governed  and  controlled  solely  by 
the  motive  of  self-interest  or  by  blind  religious  zeal,  or  by 
both?  Certainly  there  can  be  but  one  answer  to  this;  for 
the  American  j)eople  are  not  yet  lost  to  a  sense  of  human 
justice,  nor  are  they  yet  so  short-sighted  as  to  let  the  love  of 
immediate  greed  outweigh  the  inevitable  consequences  of 
social,  industrial  and  political  demoralization  and  the  sure 
degradation  of  the  laboring  classes  which  must  follow  the 
further  toleration  of  this  unspeakable  evil. 

More  than  this,  the  defenders  of  Chinese  immigration, 
who  regard  the  preservation  and  enlargement  of  commercial 
intercourse  with  that  country  as  the  one  overshadowing 
point  of  primary  interest  that  should  outweigh  all  others, 
cannot  frame  an  argument  in  support  of  their  position  more 
solid  or  substantial  in  its  construction  than  "a,  house  of 
cards,"  which  a  breath  can  demolish.  For,  with  a  race  like 
the  Chinese,  which  all  authorities  agree  in  saying  are  gov- 
erned solely  by  motives  of  self-interest  .and  money-making 
to  the  exclusion  of  every  other  thought  or  sentiment,  it  is 
impossible   to  conceive   of  the   belief  that   they  will  will- 


POINTS  OF  VIEW.  89 

inglj  shut  off  the  substantial  advantages  which  America 
offers  as  9  market  for  their  products,  or  as  a  profitable 
source  from  which  to  obtain  such  manufactures  or  supplies 
as  we  are  capable  of  furnishing.  Probably,  the  people  of  no 
section  of  the  Union  would  be  so  seriously  affected  by  a 
disturbance  of  the  commercial  relations  of  the  two  countries 
as  would  be  the  people  of  the  Pacific  coast;  and  they,  know- 
ing the  Chinese  character  as  they  do,  fully  realize  that  this 
talk  of  interference  in  commercial  relations  is  as  frivolous 
and  as  absurd  as  are  the  tales  of  ghosts  and  giants  told  by 
ancient  nurses  to  frighten  into  obedience  babes  and  suck- 
lings. 

It  is  time  that  Eastern  manufacturers  should  learn  that, 
whatever  the  article  may  be  for  which  a  market  is  desired, 
from  a  toy  to  a  locomotive  or  a  steamship,  their  interests 
are  in  far  greater  danger  from  the  quick  and  handy  methods  / 

of  acquirement  of  mechanical  knowledge  which  the  Chinese 
possess — by  which  they  can  quickly  become  skilled  workmen 
in  any  line  of  manufactures  and  then  return  to  China  to  set 
up  rival  manufactures  there — than  they  are  by  any  aid  and 
comfort  which  they  may  give  to  the  people  of  the  Pacific 
coast  in  their  efforts  to  suppress  the  immigration  of  this 
people.  For,  while  the  possibility  of  any  serious  inter- 
ference with  the  commercial  relations  of  the  two  countries 
by  reason  of  the  suppression  of  Chinese  immigration  is  too 
remote  to  deserve  consideration,  the  certainty  that  China 
will  become  a  rival  manufacturing  country  when  her  laborers 
shall  have  been  educated  in  the  school  of  American  me- 
chanics is  a  proposition  that  cannot  be  denied,  and  points  to 
a  danger  compared  to  which  this  cry  about  "disturbance  of 
commercial  relations  "  is  literally  as  a  mole-hill  to  a  mountain. 

No  citizen  of  the  Pacific  coast  denies  the  fact  that  the 
Chinese  are  possessed  of  a  natural  ability  to  quickly  become 
skilled  mechanics,  or  to  acquire  a  quick  knowledge  of  every         V 
branch  of  labor.     All  this  is  freely  conceded.     But  it  is  as 
if  the  rats  that  infest  the  wharves  of  San  Francisco  possessed 


\ 


90  POINTS  OP  VIEW. 

like  ability  to  become  proficient  in  the  mechanic  arts,  and 
could  be  emjjlojed  in  the  same  fields  of  labor  that  the  Chi- 
nese occupy,  in  so  far  as  benefit  or  evil  accrues  therefrom  to 
the  general  welfare  of  the  joeople.  Let  Eastern  manufactur- 
ers come  to  these  shores  and  satisfy  their  minds  on  this 
point.  Let  them  see  the  Chinese  occupied  in  operating 
American  shoe  machinery,  sewing  machines  and  other  like 
labor-saving  devices;  let  them  see  them  in  every  branch  of 
skilled  labor,  and  then  see  them  as  they  slink  away  from  the 
workshops  to  their  underground  burrows  or  their  above- 
ground  kennels,  and  they  will  realize  how  disastrous  a 
further  spread  of  this  evil  must  be  upon  the  future  well- 
being  of  the  countiy,  and  how  threatening  is  the  danger  that 
a  continuation  of  this  line  of  public  policy  will  result  in 
making  the  Chinese  Empire.^  through  such  a  school  as  this, 
the  busiest  line  of  manufacturing  industry  the  world  has  ever 
known.  Compared  to  such  a  danger,  of  what  value  is  this 
frequently-expressed  fear  of  interference  with  commercial 
relations  ? 

Again,  turning  to  the  other  class  of  pro-Chinese  advo- 
cates— the  religious  enthusiasts  and  the  sentimentalists  of 
our  country — it  may  be  thought  that  the  tone  of  comment 
which  has  thus  far  pervaded  this  work,  particularly  as  re- 
gards missionary  writers,  has  been  too  harsh  and  severe. 
But  when  their  fervid  utterances  have  been  weighed  against 
the  innumerable  misstatements  of  fact  uj^on  which  their 
line  of  pro-Chinese  argument  is  based,  it  can  hardly  be 
denied  that  harshness  and  severity  are  more  than  justified. 
For  what  excuse  can  be  offered  in  behalf  of  the  most  devout 
Christian  writer  upon  this  subject,  even  though  the  loftiest 
tone  of  Christian  and  moral  precept  pervades  the  doctrines 
which  he  advocates,  if  the  statements  of  fact  by  which  suah 
doctrines  are  supported  are  proved,  as  they  have  been  in 
what  has  gone  before,  to  be  wantonly  or  ignorantly  false  ? 
Why,  then,  should  this  class  of  writers  be  spared  when  they 
stand  forth  as  the  champions  of  such  a  course  as  this,  and  are 
guilty  of  such  practices  as  these  ? 


POINTS  OF  VIEW.  91 

Take,  for  example,  in  addition  to  the  innumerable  in- 
stances of  like  nature  that  have  gone  before,  such  a  state- 
ment as  this  from  the  work  of  the  Eev.  Mr.  Gibson.  Speak- 
ing of  Chinese  prostitution  he  sajs : 

"But  it  is  claimed  that  this  Chinese  evil  is  demoralizing 
and  ruining  our  boys. 

*****  -J?-  * 

"But  the  material  fact  in  the  ruin  of  our  boys  is  this: 
'that  in  every  instance  they  have  taken  their  first  lessons  in  the 
'path  of  ruin  in  the  ivhisky  shops  and  drinking  saloons  of  our 
Christian  civilization.'  Never  yet  has  a  single  California  boy 
been  contaminated,  either  in  mind  or  body,  by  a  Chinese 
courtesan  until  he  has  taken  a  few  lessons  of  sinful  pleasure 
in  these  Christian  saloons,  these  ante-rooms  of  hell." 

Here  there  is  no  modification  or  qualification  of  state- 
ment. It  is  not  given  as  an  expression  of  opinion.  Without 
a  single  reservation  a  positive  assertion  of  fact  is  made 
which  cannot  possibly  becharacterizedby  any  milder  expres- 
sion than  that  which  brands  it  as  a  wilful,  wicked  lie;  for  it 
is  in  proof  that  hundreds  of  boys,  who  have  never  learned 
the  taste  of  liquor  even,  have  been  diseased  and  ruined  for 
life  by  Chinese  courtesans;  and  these  proofs  were  living, 
crystallized,  published  facts  when  the  Bev.  Mr.  Gibson  pub- 
lished this  wretched  piece  of  wickedness  to  the  world.  Let 
us  recall  some  of  these  proofs.  Dr,  H.  H.  Toland,  founder 
of  the  "Toland  Medical  University,"  than  whom  no  man  ever 
stood  higher  in  his  profession  in  California,  testified  before 
the  Legislative  Committee  in  1876  as  follows : 

Q. — It  has  been  stated  that  these  Chinese  houses  of  pros- 
titution are  open  to  si  all  boys,  and  that  a  great  many  have 
been  diseased.     Do  y.rc^  know  anything  about  that? 

A. — I  know  that  it  is  so.  I  have  seen  boys  eight  and  ten 
years  old  with  diseases  they  told  me  they  contracted  on 
Jackson  street.  It  is  astonishing  how  soon  they  commence 
indulging  in  that  passion.  Some  of  the  worst  cases  of  syph- 
ilis I  have  ever  seen  in  my  life  occur  in  children  not  more 
than  ten  or  twelve  years  old.  They  generally  try  to  conceal 
their  condition  from  their  parents.     They  come  to  me  and  I 


92  POINTS  OF  VIEW. 

help  screen  it  from  their  parents,  and  cure  lihem  without 
compensation.  Sometimes  parents,  unaware  of  what  is  the 
matter,  bring  their  bojs  to  me,  and  I  do  all  I  can  to  keep 
the  truth  from  them. 

Q. — Are  these  cases  of  frequent  occurrence? 

A. — Yes,  sir.  You  will  find  children  from  twelve  to 
fifteen  that  are  often  diseased.  In  consequence  of  neglect, 
they  finally  become  the  worst  cases  we  have  to  treat. 

Police  Officer  Kogers  testified  that  he  had  taken  boys  not 
more  than  ten  or  twelve  years  of  age  out  of  these  houses; 
and  again  he  says : 

"I  have  seen  small  boys  go  into  these  alleys  occupied  by 
Chinese  women  and  talk  with  them  in  the  most  filthy  and 
disgusting  manner  imaginable.'' 

David  Supple,  a  policeman  in  San  Francisco,  testified  as 
follows : 

Q. — Do  you  know  anything  about  boys  of  twelve  and 
fourteen  years  of  age  visiting  houses  of  prostitution  in  the 
Chinese  quarter  ? 

A. — ^Yes,  sir,  we  have  them  fairly  crippled,  going  about 
the  city  hardly  able  to  put  one  foot  before  the  other. 

Q. — Then  the  moral  effect  of  the  presence  of  this  popula- 
tion is  very  bad  ? 

A. — It  is  ruinous  to  the  community. 

Wong  Ben,  a  Chinaman,  testified  as  follows 

Q. — Do  you  know  of  white  boys  going  to  Chinese  houses 
of  prostitution? 

A. — Yes;  plenty  of  them. 

Q. — How  old  boys  have  you  seen  there  ? 

A. — Ten  or  fifteen  years  old.  Women  don't  care  how 
young  they  are  as  long  as  they  get  money. 

Q. — Have  you  seen  many  boys  twelve  and  fifteen  years 
old  there  ? 

A. — Plenty  of  them. 

And  now,  in  view  of  such  testimony  as  this,  in  reference 
to  boys  still  in  the  years  of  childhood,  is  it  possible  that  this 
sweeping  declaration  of  the  Eev.  Mr.  Gibson  that  "never 
yet  has  a  single  California  boy  been  contaminated  in  mind 


POINTS  OF  VIEW.  93 

or  body  hj  a  Chinese  courtesan  until  lie  has  taken  a  few  les- 
sons of  sinful  pleasure  in  these  Christian  saloons,  these  ante- 
rooms of  hell,"  can  be  true  ?  And  can  criticism  be  too  harsh 
or  too  severe  when  expended  upon  the  Christian  missionary 
who  comes  to  the  defense  of  this  race — whose  touch  is  pollu- 
tion— by  such  statements  as  these  ?  Would  not  the  mission- 
ary eflforts  of  Mr.  Gibson  and  his  co-laborers  in  the  cause  of 
religion  be  better  and  more  righteously  expended  in  endeav- 
oring to  save  these  young  boys  from  lives  of  misery  aud  the 
future  reward  of  their  sins  than  to  thus  stand  forward  to 
palliate  and  excuse  the  existence  of  Chinese  prostitution 
among  us,  in  order  that  they  may  justify  the  precedence 
which  they  give  to  the  conversion  of  the  heathen  over  the 
salvation  of  the  thousands  of  their  own  race,  which  these 
same  heathen  are  all  the  w^hile  plunging  into  the  depths  of 
misery  ? 

The  plain,  unvarnished  truth  is,  that  to  follow  the  advo- 
cacy of  8uch  writers  as  these,  aud  to  be  guided  by  the  senti- 
mentalists w'ho  lend  them  their  aid  by  the  constant  parade 
of  the  "common  brotherhood  of  man,"  means  to  minister  to 
the  worldly  welfare  of  this  Asiatic  race,  and  to  sacrifice  the 
welfare  and  happiness  of  our  own  people.  Self-abnegation 
may  possibly  be  the  highest  moral  precept  that  can  be  in- 
culcated and  fostered  in  the  breast  of  mankind;  but  when 
self-abnegation  is  carried  to  that  extreme  that  it  means  the 
sacrifice  of  one  and  a  higher  race  that  another,  a  barbarous 
one,  may  reap  a  worldly  benefit  with  the  contingent  possi- 
bility of  the  salvation  of  a  small  fractional  percentage  of  the 
souls  of  the  mass  of  them,  it  becomes  the  most  giganiic  sin 
ever  conceived  of  by  the  human  mind.  It  ought  to  earn  for 
its  advocates,  from  among  the  penalties  prescribed  in  the 
unkpown  future  life  for  earthly  wrong-doing,  the  full  maxi- 
mum of  punishment  that  will  be  awarded  for  the  maximum  of 
human  sin. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


THE     OPIUM     HABIT. 

It  will  doubtless  be  conceded  that  the  civilized  Cliristian 
world  lias  no  more  serious  and  difficult  social  aud  economic 
problem  to  deal  witli  than  that  of  the  habit  of  intemper- 
ance in  the  use  of  alcohlic  liquors.  Whatever  may  be  the 
individual  opinions  of  men  as  to  the  wisest  course  to  pursue 
in  dealing  with  this  evil,  there  will  be  no  difference  of 
opinion  that  it  is  an  evil  and  a  curse  to  mankind,  whether  we 
appeal  to  the  drunkard  himself  or  to  the  ablest  ajjostle  of  the 
cause  of  temperance  that  ever  preached  or  wrote  upon  the 
subject.  That  it  is  the  parent  of  more  vice,  crime  and  misery 
than  any  or  all  other  causes  will  not  be  disputed.  That  it 
seems  to  be  an  ineradicable  curse  is  a  conclusion  that  forces 
itself  upon  the  wisest  minds;  that  it  may  be  remedied  or 
modified  of  its  evil  tendencies  is  the  hope  of  all.  But  what 
would  be  said  of  a  proposition  on  the  part  of  any  foreign 
people  to  come  here  and  introduce  a  habit  which,  from  its 
very  nature,  must  become  still  more  baneful  in  its  influences 
than  the  use  of  alcohol  ?  Or  what  shall  we  say  of  a  class 
of  immigration  whose  coming  to  our  shores  lead  ;  inevitably 
to  the  introduction  of  such  a  habit,  the  use  of  a  drug 
vastly  more  destructive  of  morality  and  happiness,  vastly 
more  productive  of  misery  and  wretchedness,  than  the  con- 
sumption of  alcohol  in  any  of  its  forms,  and  sure  to  inflict  a 
greater  curse  upon  the  American  people  for  all  time  to  come 
than  alcohol  ever  has  or  ever  will  do  ?  Put  in  this  way,  and 
the  fact  once  fairly  demonstrated  that  the  opium  habit  is 
sure  to  be  insidiously  spread  and  engrafted  upon  the  social 
organization  of  the  American  people  by  contact  with  the 
Chinese,  and  the  results  thus  foreshadowed  are  sure  to  fol- 

(94) 


THE  OPIUM  HABIT.  95 

low.  Ought  not  tliis — the  question  is  submitted  to  religious 
enthusiast  missionaries  and  sentimentalists  as  well  as  to  the 
public  at  large — ought  not  this,  independent  of  other  cause 
or  other  argument,  be  sufficient  to  put  a  stop  at  once  and 
forever  to  Chinese  immigration  ? 

Let  us  proceed  now  to  a  careful  and  earnest  examination 
of  this  branch  of  the  subject.  Let  us  see  what  the  use  of 
opium  and  the  spread  of  the  opium  habit  has  done  for 
China  and  the  Chinese,  then  let  us  see  to  what  extent  they 
have  brought  this  habit  with  them  to  America,  and  to  what 
extent  it  has  spread  by  the  contact  among  our  own  people. 
In  this  way  we  shall  certainly  be  able  to  understand  what  is 
the  length  and  breadth  of  the  evil  when  once  established 
among  a  people;  and  by  that  example,  and  by  the  example 
of  how  far  the  habit  has  been  engrafted  here,  we  shall  be 
able  to  comprehend  the  magnitude  of  the  danger  with  which 
we  are  threatened  from  this  cause  alone,  not  to  speak  of  any 
and  all  the  others  that  follow  in  the  pestilential  pathway  of 
this  new  horde  of  heathen  invaders. 

It  is  not  necessary  here  to  go  into  a  history  of  the  use  of 
opium  in  China,  to  repeat  the  story  of  the  "Opium  War,"  or 
criticize  or  comment  upon  the  action  of  the  British  Govern- 
ment in  this  latter  connection.  What  "  might  have  been," 
to  whom  the  larger  share  of  blame  must  attach  for  the  use 
of  opium  in  China,  are  questions  which  need  not  be  dis- 
cussed here.  The  point  is,  what  are  the  dangers  of  the 
opium  habit — what  are  the  dangers  of  its  extensive  introduc- 
tion into  our  own  country  as  one  of  the  baneful  results  of 
Chinese  immigration  ?  Upon  the  first  half  of  this  inquiry 
all  writers  agree;  therefore  it  can  be  answered  beyond  dis- 
pute. 

The  Reverend  Mr.  Speer,  who  sees  so  much  to  commend 
in  the  Chinese,  and  so  many  blessings  to  grow  out  of 
Chinese  immigration  to  America,  testifies  as  follows  on  this 
point: 


96  THE   OPIUM   HABIT. 

* '  The  effects  of  this  dreadful  poison  upon  the  human  sys- 
tem are  utterly  destructive  to  the  health  of  the  body  and  the 
clear  use  of  the  faculties  of  the  mind,  to  the  happiness  of  the 
unfortunate  family  of  the  victim,  to  his  success  in  business 
and  to  his  usefulness  to  society.  The  face  becomes  pale  and 
haggard,  the  eyes  moist  and  vacant,  the  whole  expression 
vacant  and  idiotic;  the  body  wastes  to  a  skeleton,  the  joints 
are  tortured  with  i:)ain.  The  sensation  of  gnawing  in  the 
stomach  when  deprived  of  the  drug  is  described  by  those 
addicted  to  its  use  to  be  like  the  tearing  of  its  tender  coats 
by  the  claws  of  an  animal  of  prey,  while  a  return  to  it  fills 
the  brain  with  horrid  and  tormenting  visions  like  the  mania 
of  delirium  tremens.  I  have  seen  strong  men,  when  unable 
to  obtain  their  accustomed  dose,  crazy  with  the  suffering, 
the  face  crimsoned  in  some  cases,  and  the  perspiration 
streaming  down  in  a  shower.  Few  individuals  of  those 
whom  it  possesses  are  able  to  find  a  sufficient  antidote.  The 
subject  lingers  a  few  years,  and  a  dreary  and  unpitied  death 
ends  the  scene.  This  is  the  history  of  tens  of  thousands  in 
China,  as  well  as  in  other  countries. 

"This  most  terrible  form  of  intemperance  affects  all 
classes  of  society,  from  the  most  i30werful,  wealthy  and 
learned  to  the  most  wretched  beggar.  One  sees  the  lowest 
and  vilest,  even  the  impoverished  and  rotten  lepers  without 
the  walls  of  the  cities,  drunk  with  it.  "When  they  cannot 
find  money  to  purchase  the  drug,  they  buy  the  dirt  which 
remains  after  it  is  refined,  and  abjectly  scrape  the  bowls  of 
the  pipes  used  by  their  more  favored  brethren  and  smoke 
this  refuse.  Women  learn  the  habit  from  their  husbands 
and  brothers,  and  when  the  woful  penalty  of  this  indul- 
gence comes  upon  the  family  they  find  in  opium  a  ready  and 
familiar  instrument  to  cut  the  thread  of  life  and  drop  into 
the  gulf  of  an  unknown  and  dark  future. 

■^  *  ^  -Sfr  -K-  *  % 

"The  opium  traffic  in  India  and  China  is  the  darkest 
stain  upon  the  Christianity  of  the  nineteenth  centur3\  Its 
calamitous  effects  are  felt  wherever  the  people  of  China  emi- 
grate, and  wherever  the  products  of  China  are  carried,  over 
the  whole  world.  In  the  arrest  of  it  the  citizens  of  the 
United  States  are  more  deeply  interested  than  any  other  peo- 
ple outside  of  China.  Opium  j^uts  a  great  stone  in  the  path 
of  the  commerce  with  Eastern  Asia;  it  hinders  the  develop- 
ment of  departments  of  industry  on  our  Pacific  Coast  which 


THE   OPIUM   HABIT.  97 

would  discover  and  furnish  numerous  useful  materials  and 
manufactures  to  supply  tliat  commerce,  and  thus  render 
great  benefits  to  either  continent;  it  is  planting  seeds  of  ener- 
ervation,  crime  and  disease  in  the  Chinese  who  are  coming 
to  our  shores,  and  creating  corresponding  vexation  and  in- 
jury to  us." 

It  is  impossible  not  to  award  the  highest  measure  of 
praise  to  a  writer  who  is  thus  frank  and  honest  in  his  state- 
ment of  this  branch  of  the  Chinese  question.  It  testifies 
fairly  to  his  honesty  of  purpose,  perhaps,  but  it  is  likewise 
testimony  self-delivered  which  convicts  the  writer  of  the 
grossest  inconsistency,  and  proves  how  illogical  and  unsafe 
is  the  missionary  writer  upon  this  subject  who  thus  convicts 
himself  of  wrong  in  the  advocacy  of  Chinese  immigration  in 
order  that  the  Gosj-jcI  of  Christianity  may  be  planted  among 
them  at  the  expense  of  the  introduction  of  the  opium  evil 
upon  these  shores,  already  cursed  with  another  kind  of 
intemperance  whose  evil  effects  no  man  may  measure  or 
express.  And  when  the  reverend  writer  talks  about  the 
American  people  "arresting  the  evil"  by  any  other  method 
than  by  shutting  out  those  who  introduce  it,  he  broaches  a 
line  of  argument  worse  than  Quixotic;  for  if  the  American 
people  are  not  strong  enough  to  wrestle  with  and  "arrest" 
the  evil  of  alcoholic  intemperance,  what  shall  we  say  of  their 
ability  to  put  a  stop  to  that  other^  kind  of  intemperance 
which  is  a  far  stronger  foe  to  deal  with — the  Opium  Habit  ? 
What  this  class  of  writers  have  seen  with  their  own  eyes  and 
learned  by  their  own  experiences  in  life  in  China,  and  what 
they  will  state  as  fairly  and  as  frankly  as  the  Rev.  Mr.  Speer 
has  told  this  story,  is  most  worthy  to  be  received  and  to 
profit  by.  But  the  logic  of  their  arguments  is  loose  and  dis- 
jointed, and  their  conclusions,  forced  to  suit  their  own 
cherished  desires,  are  dangerous,  weak  and  unsafe.  They 
should  be  rejected. 

Mr.  Williams,  in  his  "  Middle  Kingdom,"  furnishes  this 
picture  of  the  evil  effects  of  opium-smoking: 


98  THE   OPIUM    HABIT. 

"A  Chinese  scholar  thus  sums  up  the  bad  effects  of 
opium,  which  he  says  is  taken  at  first  to  raise  the  animal 
spirits  and  prevent  lassitude:  'It  exhausts  the  animal 
spirits,  impedes  the  regular  performance  of  business,  wastes 
the  flesh  and  blood,  dissipates  every  kind  of  property,  ren- 
ders the  person  ill-favored,  promotes  obscenity,  discloses 
secrets,  violates  the  laws,  attacks  the  vitals  and  destroys 
life.'  Under  each  of  these  heads  he  lucidly  shows  the 
mode  of  the  process  or  gives  examples  to  uphold  his  asser- 
tions :  '  In  comparison  with  arsenic,  I  pronounce  it  tenfold 
the  greater  poison;  one  swallows  arsenic  because  he  has 
lost  his  reputation  and  is  so  involved  that  he  cannot  extri- 
cate himself.  Thus  driven  to  desperation  he  takes  the  dose 
and  is  destroyed  at  once;  but  those  who  smoke  the  drug  are 
injured  in  many  ways.  It  may  be  compared  to  rising  the 
wick  of  a  lamp  which,  while  it  increases  the  blaze,  hastens 
the  exhaustion  of  the  oil  and  the  extinction  of  the  light. 
Hence  the  youth  who  smoke  will  shorten  their  own  days  and 
cut  off  all  hopes  of  posterity,  leaving  their  parents  and 
wives  without  any  one  on  whom  to  depend.  From  the  ro- 
bust, who  smoke,  the  flesh  is  gradually  consumed  and  worn 
away,  and  the  skin  hangs  like  a  bag.  Their  faces  become 
cadaverous  and  black,  and  their  bones  naked  as  a  billet  of 
wood.  The  habitual  smokers  dose  for  days  over  their  pipes, 
without  appetite;  w-hen  the  desire  for  opium  comes  on  they 
cannot  resist  its  impulse.  Mucus  flows  from  their  nostrils 
and  tears  from  their  eyes;  their  very  bodies  are  rotten  and 
putrid.  From  careless  observers  the  sight  of  su^h  objects 
is  enough  to  excite  loud  peals  of  laughter;  the  poor  smoker 
who  has  pawned  every  article  in  his  possession  still  remains 
idle,  and  when  the  periodical  thirst  comes  on  will  even  pawn 
his  wives  and  sell  his  daughters.  In  the  province  of  Ngan- 
hwui  I  once  saw  a  man  named  Chin,  who  being  childless 
purchased  a  concubine  and  got  her  with  child;  afterward 
when  his  money  was  expended  and  other  means  failed  him, 
being  unable  to  resist  the  desire  for  the  pipe,  he  sold  her 
in  her  pregnancy  for  several  tens  of  dollars.  This  money 
being  expended  he  went  and  hung  himself.'" 

Mr.  Williams,  after  thus  quoting  the  statement  furnished 
him  by  his  young  Chinese  friend,  proceeds  to  add  his  own 
testimony,  thus: 

"  The  thirst  and  burning  sensation  in  the  throat  which 


THE    OPIUM    HABIT.  99 

the  wretched  sufferer  feels,  only  to  be  renewed  by  a  repeti- 
tion of  the  dose,  proves  one  of  the  strongest  links  in  the 
chain  which  drags  him  to  his  ruin.  At  this  stage  of  the 
habit  his  case  is  almost  hopeless;  if  the  pipe  be  delayed  too 
long,  vertigo,  complete  prostraliou  and  discharge  of  water 
from  the  eyes  ensue;  if  entirely  withheld,  coldness  and  ach- 
ing pains  are  felt  over  the  body,  and  obstinate  diarrhoea 
supervenes  and  death  closes  the  scene.  The  disastrous 
effects  of  the  drug  are  somewhat  delayed  or  modified  by  the 
quantity  of  nourishiug food  the  person  can  procure;  and  con- 
sequently it  is  among  the  poor,  who  can  least  afford  the  X3ipe 
and  still  less  the  injury  done  to  their  energies,  that  the  de- 
struction of  life  is  the  greatest.  The  evils  suffered  and 
crime  committed  by  the  desperate  victims  of  the  opium 
pipe  are  dreadful  r.nd  multiplied;  theft,  arson,  murder  and 
suicide  are  perpetrated  in  order  to  obtain  it  or  escape  its 
effects." 

The  Abbe  Hue  says : 

"With  the  exception  of  some  rare  smokers,  who — thanks 
to  a  quite  exceptional  org^inization ! — are  able  to  restrain  them- 
selves within  the  bounds  of  moderation,  all  others  advance 
rapidly  toward  death,  after  having  passed  through  the  suc- 
cessive stages  of  idleness,  debauchery,  poverty,  the  ruin  of 
their  physical  strength,  and  the  complete  prostration  of  their 
intellectual  and  moral  faculties.  Nothing  can  stop  a  smoker 
who  has  made  much  progress  in  this  habit;  incapable  of  at- 
tending to  any  kind  of  business,  insensible  to  every  event; 
the  most  hideous  poverty  and  the  sight  of  a  family  pluDged 
into  despair  and  misery  cannot  rouse  him  to  hhe  smallest 
exertion,  so  comjDlete  is  the  disgusting  apathy  in  which  he  is 
sunk." 

Mr.  Doolittle,  in  his  "Social  Life  of  the  Chinese,"  fur- 
nishes the  following  testimony  upon  the  evils  of  the  opium 
habit: 

"The  baneful  effects  of  opium-smoking  are  many  and 
various — social,  moral,  mental,  physical  and  pecuniary.  lu 
the  first  place,  opium-smoking  sensibly  and  unfavorably  af- 
fects ones  property  and  business  relations.  It  is  comparatively 
a  very  costly  vice,  the  expense  being  graduated  by  the  cir- 
cumstances of  each  case,  ranging  from  a  dollar  or  two  to  ten 


100  THE   OPIUM   HABIT. 

or  fifteen  dollars  per  month,  even  in  regard  to  persons  not  of 
the  highest  and  the  most  wealthy  classes.  The  lowest-men- 
tioned rate,  taking  into  consideration  the  low  price  of  labor 
among  this  f)eople  compared  with  the  price  of  labor  in  West- 
ern countries,  is  relatively  largo  and  burdensome.  With  all 
smokers,  however,  the  effect  of  this  vice  on  their  pecuniary 
standing  is  hy  no  means  to  he  estima'ed  hy  the  actual  outlay  in 
money  for  the  drug.  Its  seductive  influence  leads  its  victims 
to  neglect  their  business,  and  consequent!}',  sooner  or  later, 
loss  or  ruin  ensues.  As  the  habit  grows,  so  does  inattention 
to  business  increase.  Instances  are  not  rare  where  the  rich 
have  been  reduced  to  poverty  and  beggary  as  one  of  the  con- 
sequences of  their  attachment  to  the  oj^ium  pipe.  The  poor 
addicted  to  this  vice  are  sometimes  led  to  dispose  of  every- 
thing saleable  in  the  hovel  where  they  live.  Sometimes, 
even,  men  sell  their  own  children  and  their  wives  in  order  to 
procure  the  drug,  and  finally  end  their  career  by  becoming 
beggars  or  thieves.  In  order  to  understand  the  expense  of 
this  vice,  the  Western  reader  needs,  perhaps,  to  be  reminded 
that  the  vast  majority  of  the  Chinese  are  generally  poor,  and 
that  wages  are  invariably  low.  It  oftentimes  and  usually 
requires  as  much  time  and  toil  here  to  earn  a  dime  as  in 
America  it  requires  to  earn  a  dollar. 

"  In  the  second  place,  the  smoking  of  opium  injures  one^s 
health  and  bodily  constitution.  Unless  taken  promptly  at  the 
regular  time  and  in  the  necessary  quantity,  the  victim  be- 
comes unable  to  control  himself  and  to  attend  to  his  busi- 
ness. He  sneezes;  he  gasps;  mucus  runs  from  his  nose  and 
his  eyes;  griping  pains  seize  him  in  his  bowels;  his  whole 
appearance  indicates  restlessness  and  misery.  If  not  in- 
dulged in  smoking  and  left  undisturbed,  he  usually  falls 
asleep,  but  his  sleep  does  not  refresh  and  invigorate  him. 
On  being  aroused,  he  is  himself  again,  provided  lie  can  have 
his  opium;  if  not,  his  troubles  and  pains  midtiply.  He  has 
no  appetite  for  ordinary  food;  no  strength  or  disposition  to 
labor.  Diarrhoea  sets  in  of  a  dreadful  and  most  painful  de- 
scription peculiar  to  opium-smokers;  and  if  still  unable  to 
procure  opium  the  unhappy  victim  not  uufrequently  dies  in 
most  excruciating  agonies.  Few,  comparatively,  recover 
after  diarrhoea  has  become  virulent,  unless  they  have  access 
to  opium,  and  not  always  then. 

*  *  •55-  *  ■3t  -x-  * 

"Some  have  attempted  to  compare  the  evils  of  opium- 


THE   OPIUM    HAEIT.  101 

smoking  in  China  with  the  evils  of  drinking  intoxicating 
liquors  at  the  West;  but  these  vices  are  so  different  in  some 
of  their  principal  effects  as  to  render  a  just  comparison 
exceediigly  difficult.  The  one  is  soothing  and  tranquil- 
izing;  the  other  excites  and  often  maddens.  Ardent  spirits 
are  often  taken  to  stimulate  to  the  commission  of  violent  and 
bloody  deeds,  but  opium  is  never  smoked  for  such  a  purpose 
nor  with  such  an  effect.  Were  the  subject  of  the  compara- 
tive evils  of  opium-smoking  and  liquor-drinking,  as  seen  in 
China  (where  the  use  of  Chinese  whisky  or  samshu  is 
universal  among  all  classes),  to  be  submitted  for  decision  to 
intelligent  Chinamen  the  verdict  would  be  given  A\ith 
promptness  and  startling  energy  against  opium.  It  would 
be  unanimous  in  the  condemnation  of  opium  as  being  the 
13roducer  of  an  immensely  greater  amount  of  misery,  sick- 
ness, poverty  and  death  than  Chinese  liquors." 

Here,  then,  stands  the  question.  The  opium  habit  is  a 
species  of  intemperance  worse,  far  worse,  than  intemperance 
in  the  use  of  intoxicating  liquors.  How  bad  this  last  habit 
is  we  all  know;  how  great  a  public  curse  it  is  we  all  fully 
realize.  And  yet,  through  the  medium  of  Chinese  immigra- 
tion, the  introduction  of  a  far  greater  public  evil  and  public 
curse  than  intemperance  in  the  use  of  alcoholic  liquors  is  as 
sure  to  follow,  and  the  evil  as  sure  to  spread  throughout 
every  rank  of  society,  as  are  the  seasons  to  reign  and  follow 
each  other  with  each  annual  revolution  of  the  earth  around 
the  sun.  The  proof  is  conclusive  on  this  point;  for  the 
opium  habit  is  more  seductive  in  its  nature.  It  lures  its 
victims  on  to  their  destruction  with  more  irresistible  influ- 
ences than  does  alcohol  in  any  of  its  forms;  and  no  man, 
when  once  brought  within  its  insidious  power,  ever  escapes 
from  its  clutches. 

In  the  use  of  opium  there  is  a  strange,  indescribable 
infatuation.  Men  resort  to  the  alluring  vice  as  if  pre- 
ordained to  their  own  self-destruction.  * '  They  know  perfectly 
well  that  if  they  smoke  regularly  the  bewitching  pipe  they 
will  certainly  soon  come  within  its  power;  and  yet  many 
yearly  voluntarily  become  its  fresh  victims.     With  their  eyes 


102  THE    OPIUM   HABIT. 

open  to  the  inevitable  consequences  of  the  indulgence,  they 
blindly  do  what  will  enslave  them  for  life." 

Who,  then,  can  possibly  be  bold  enough  to  longer  advo- 
cate Chinese  immigration  into  the  United  States  when  the 
introduction  of  this  new,  colossal,  overshadowing  evil  is  the 
sure  consequence  of  such  action  ?  That  this  conclusion  is 
not  a  forced  one,  the  whole  history  of  the  opium  trade  and 
the  opium  habit  among  the  Chinese  sufficiently  proves.  To- 
day the  Chinese  people  may  be  set  down  as  a  nation  of 
opium-smokers.  Going  back  but  little  beyond  a  century, 
the  importation  of  opium  into  China  amounted  to  but  a 
thousand  chests  per  annum.  In  1780  a  small  depot  was 
established  by  the  English  in  Lark's  Bay,  south  of  Macao. 
At  that  time  the  price  was  $550  a  chest.  "In  1781  the  com- 
pany freighted  a  vessel  to  Canton,  but  were  obliged  io  sell 
the  lot  of  1,600  chests  at  $200  a  chest  to  Sinqua,  one  of  the 
hong  merchants,  who,  not  being  able  to  dispose  of  it  to 
advantage,  reshipped  it  to  the  Archipelago."  The  opium 
habit  had  been  engrafted  upon  the  Chinese  people,  how- 
ever, and  opium  must  be  had  in  spite  of  the  edicts  of 
Emperors  prohibiting  its  importation  and  the  utmost  efforts 
of  the  officers  of  the  law  to  enforce  the  order.  "  But  it  was 
not  till  the  present  century  that  the  demon  of  opium  seemed 
to  awaken  to  the  dreadful  appetite  for  destruction,  and  go 
forth  to  be  one  of  the  direct  enemies  of  the  human  race." 
From  the  small  importation  in  1781  of  about  one  thousand 
chests  per  annum,  the  trade  had  grown,  so  that  in  1876  it  had 
risen  to  eighty  thousand,  while  the  cultivation  of  the  poppy 
and  opium  manufacture  in  China  had  also  been  successfully 
established.  Practically  the  whole  nation  had  been  brought 
under  the  subjection  of  and  slavery  to  the  drug. 

Is  it  to  be  presumed  that,  the  evil  once  fairly  engrafted 
upon  our  people  as  a  habit,  it  is  to  be  followed  by  any  other 
than  similar  results  to  those  which  have  followed  it  in  China  ? 
Surely  those  who  claim  the  Chinaman  as  "a  man  and 
brother,"  endowed  with  the  same  strength  of  intellect  and 


THE  OPIUM  HABIT.  103 

capacitj  that  the  race  of  the  Caucasian  type  present,  will  not 
be  so  inconsistent  as  to  assume  that  there  is  sufficiently 
greater  strength  of  mind  and  will-power  among  us  to  enable 
us  to  successfully  defy  the  habit,  and  so  avoid  the  rock  that 
has  physically  and  morally  wrecked  the  Chinese!  While 
those  who  deny  this  equality  will  surely  not  be  willing,  in 
any  case,  to  take  the  frightful  risk  which  Chinese  immigra- 
tion involves  in  regard  to  the  habit. 

It  is  true  that  where  the  opium  habit  has  gone  it  has 
enslaved  the  people  and  carried  untold  misery  in  its  train. 
Are  we  endowed  with  qualities  that  will  enable  us  to  defy  its 
influences?  In  California  the  question  has  been  answered 
already.  The  opium  habit  has  been  brought  with  them  by 
the  Chinese;  and  in  "Chinatown"  proper  in  San  Francisco 
there  is  probably  not  a  building  occupied  by  Chinese  in 
which  the  "opium  lay-out"  is  not  found  and  the  vice  of 
opium-smoking  indulged  in.  As  the  cancer  sends  out  its 
poisonous  roots  to  vitiate  and  destroy  the  surrounding  parts 
of  the  human  body  upon  which  it  has  affixed  itself,  so  has 
the  opium  habit,  as  practiced  by  the  Chinese  in  San  Fran- 
cisco, sent  its  poisonous  influences  out  into  the  surrounding 
community,  and  commenced  its  harvest  among  the  younger 
classes.  Already  the  "opium  joint"  for  the  use  of  white 
slaves  to  the  habit  is  becoming  common  in  San  Francisco, 
and  the  "opium  fiend,"  as  he  is  known  here,  may  be  met 
with  everywhere.  Young  women  and  young  men  haunt  the 
Chinese  drug-stores  in  search  of  the  deadly  narcotic,  and 
the  "opium  habit  "is  claiming  and  enlarging  its  circle  of 
victims  among  our  own  people  in  all  directions. 


CHAPTER  IX. 


THE  INTEODUCTION  AND  SPREAD  OF  LEPBOSY. 

The  twin  evil  of  the  opium  liabit,  "  Leprosy,"  nest  claims 
attention  as  a  legacy  which  the  people  of  California  have  in- 
herited from  the  Mongolian.  It  is  difficult  to  speak  or  write 
with  equanimity  and  composure  of  these  two  horrors  that 
have  thus  been  inflicted  upon  us  by  this  class  of  immigra- 
tion, when  we  consider  the  part  that  a  large  percentage  of 
the  Christian  clergy  play  in  the  matter.  Anything  more 
wickedly  devilish  in  its  conception  than  the  advocacy  of 
Chinese  immigration  in  the  face  of  the  fact  that  it  is  neces- 
sarily accompanied  by  these  two  twin  evils,  let  alone  all  the 
other  horrors  that  follow  in  its  train,  was  never  conceived 
by  the  brain  of  man .  Especially  is  this  true,  severe  as  the 
denunciation  may  seem,  when  we  take  into  consideration  the 
fact  that  the  gain  involved  is  the  possibility  of  a  heathen  soul 
saved  from  damnation  against  the  sure  result,  as  an  offset,  of 
scores  of  Christian  men  and  women  doomed  to  a  life  of 
disease  and  misery,  and  the  probabilitj',  according  to  the 
doctrine  taught  by  these  same  advocates,  of  eternal  damna- 
tion hereafter.  But  the  fact  remains  that  this  same  advo- 
cacy is  frequently  preached  from  the  Christian  pulpit  in 
spite  of  these  known  evils,  and  hence  the  disgust  and  the 
too  frequent  apathy  that  intelligent  men  and  women  mani- 
fest for  Christian  worship  when  it  is  larded  and  seasoned  by 
such  detestable  bigotry. 

Practically,  the  true  disease  of  leprosy  was  unknown  in 
the  United  States  until  the  Chinese  came  among  us;  to-day 
it  is  a  fixed  disease  among  our  people,  baffling,  as  it  always 
has  baffled,  medical  skill — a  loathsome,  incurable,  disgusting 
ailment,  meaning  months  of  unspeakable  misery  to  its  vic- 

(104) 


THE  INTRODUCTION  AND  SPREAD  OP  LEPROSY.  105 

tims  and  an  inheritence  of  premature  death  for  them  and 
their  descendants.  Following  the  plan  heretofore  adopted, 
however,  of  proving  every  assertion  made  and  every  position 
taken  touching  this  question  of  Chinese  immigration  and  its 
consequences,  tangible  evidences  upon  this  subject  furnished 
by  reliable  authorities  are  here  presented  in  lieu  of  assertion 
and  commentary. 

The  late  lamented  Dr.  Foye,  for  many  years  "Eesident 
Physician,  City  and  County  Small-pox  Hospital,"  furnished 
to  the  Board  of  Supervisors  of  the  City  and  County  of  San 
Francisco  in  January,  1884,  the  following  statement  concern- 
ing the  introduction  of  this  horrible  disease  by  the  Chinese 
and  the  dangers  which  are  likely  to  grow  out  of  it: 

San  Francisco,  January  15th,  1884. 

Hon.  John  J.  Reichenhach,  Chairman  cf  Hospital  Com- 
miitee  of  Board  of  Supervisors — Sir:  On  December  12th, 
1883,  you  addressed  to  me  a  series  of  questions  upon  the 
subject  of  leprosy  and  elephantiasis,,  with  a  request  that  I 
would  furnish  you  with  such  statistics  and  views  on  the 
matter  as  were  at  my  command.  I  herewith  beg  leave  to 
submit  to  you  as  exhaustive  a  reply  as  the  data  under  my 
control  and  my  personal  experience  will  permit.  Your  main 
questions,  twelve  in  number,  and  my  answers  thereto,  are 
as  follows: 

I.  "  The  number  of  cases  of  leprosy  and  elephantiasis  ■which  have  been 
taken  charge  of  and  maintained  at  the  expense  of  the  City  and  County  ?  " 

The  record  of  the  Small-pox  Hospital  shows  that  on  the 
5th  day  of  July,  1871,  Hong  Tong,  a  Chinese  leper,  was 
transferred  from  the  City  and  County  Alms-house  to  this 
institution,  w^bere  he  died  on  the  29th  day  of  September, 
1875,  after  a  stay  in  this  hospital  of  four  years,  two  months 
and  twenty-four  days.  Since  then  seventy-eight  cases  have 
been  admitted,  making  a  total  of  seventy-nine  cases  main- 
tained for  variable  periods  by  the  City  and  County  during 
the  twelve  years  last  past. 

II.  "The  average  length  of  time  that  persons  afliicted  with  these 
diseases  have  been  so  maintained  ?  " 

The  mean  brought  down  to  December  31,  1883,  at  which 
date  there  were  sixteen  lepers  in  the  Lazaretto,  is  a  little 


103  THE  INTRODUCTION  AND  SPREAD  OF  LEPROSY. 

more  than  430  days  to  each  patient.     To  be  exact,  the  time 
was  430.45  days  to  each. 

III.  "  The  number  of  cases  admitted  by  order  of  the  Commissioner  of 
Immitjration,  the  name  of  the  Commissioner  and  the  number  on  each  Com- 
missioner's order  ?  " 

But  one  case  has  been  admitted  by  order  of  the  Com- 
missioner, and  that  by  the  present  Commissioner's  order  on 
September  17th,  1883. 

IV.  "  The  number  of  cases  that  have  been  received  directly  from  vessels 
arriving  at  this  port  ?  " 

But  one  case  has  been  so  received. 

V.  "The  number  of  cases  received  that  have  been  residents  of  this 
city  and  county  for  any  length  of  time,  and  those  from  other  counties  in  the 
State?" 

On  August  31st,  1876,  all  lepers  then  in  the  Small-pox 
Hospital  were  shipped  to  China  and  the  further  admission 
of  this  class  of  patients  forbidden;  but  in  the  autumn  of 
1878,  they  had  so  increased  in  numbers  in  the  city  as  to 
become  the  subject  of  general  complaint,  and  the  order  was 
rescinded.  In  October,  1878,  eleven  cases  were  admitted, 
and  in  the  three  weeks  following  four  more  were  received. 
This  lot  of  fifteen  had  been  residents  of  this  city  and  county 
for  periods  varying  from  two  to  twenty  months.  Since  that 
date  no  case  has  been  received  that  had  been  in  the  city 
more  than  a  few  weeks,  usually  only  as  many  days. 

VI.  "  The  sex,  race  and  age  of  the  cases  admitted;  the  character  of  the 
disease  and  their  disposition  ?  " 

Sex— Males,  75;  Females,  4. 

Race — Mongolian,  76;  Caucasian,  3. 

Ages — Between  50  and  60  years,  2;  between  40  and  50 
years,  9;  between  30  and  40  years,  31;  between  20  and  30 
years,  31;  between  15  and  20  years,  6. 

Character  of  Disease — Tubercular,  25;  Anaesthetic,  31; 
unclassified,  23. 

Disposition — Shipped  to  China  by  authorities,  48; 
shipped  to  China  by  friends,  2;  died,  9;  discharged,  1| 
escaped,  2,  remaining  in  hospital,  16. 

VII.  "  How  many  deaths  have  occurred — age,  sex  and  race  ?  " 


THE  INTRODUCTION  AND  SPREAD  OF  LEPROSY. 


107 


Name. 


Hong  Tong.. 

Ha  Lin 

Ah  Cue 

Ah  Gun.... 
Lin  Duck. .. 
Ah  Goug.... 
T.  Stanton . . 
Chas.  Lacy*. 
Ah  Chung. . 


Age. 


.36.. 
.18.. 
.27.. 
.26  . 
22.. 
.40.. 
.53  . 
.26.. 
.22.. 


Sex. 


Male... 
Female. 
Male. . . 
Male. . . 
Male. . . 
Male. . . 
Male. . . 
Male, . . 
Male.   . 


Back. 


Mongolian . . 
Mongolian . . . 
Mongolian. . . 
Mongolian. . . 
Mongolian. . . 
Mongolian . . . 
Caucasian  . . 
Mongolian .  . 
Mongolian     . 


Date  OF  Death. 


Sept.  29,  1875. 
.\ug.  18,  1875.. 
July  9,  1875... 
May  25,  1876  . 
March  20,  1880 
March  22,  1880 
Nov.  4,  1881  .. 
May  29,  1882.. 
Feb.  28,  1883.. 


VIII.     "  How  many  cases   are  now  in  the  Lazaretto  maintained  at  the 
expense  of  the  city  and  county  ?" 

EEMAINING   IN   HOSPITAL    DEC.    31,    1883 — 16. 


Name. 

Age. 

Sex. 

Eace. 

Lepbost. 

Ah  Wau 

YewUngTan... 
Ho  Kup 

..24.. 

..18.. 
. .  40 . . 

Male 

Male.         

Mongolian 

Mongolian 

Mongolian 

Mongolian 

Anaesthetic 

AnaBsthetic. 

Male 

Male 

Ansesthetic. 

Ah  Jock 

.  45. 

Ansesthetic. 

Ah  Chue 

..32.. 
38. 

Male 

Mongolian 

Mongolian 

Mongolian 

Mongolian 

Mongolian 

Mongolian 

Mongolian 

White 

Tuberculous 

Ah  Tick 

Male 

Male 

Male 

Anajsthetic.   . 

Ah  Chung 

Ah  Yung    

..45.. 
37 

Anaesthetic 

Tuberculous 

Ah  Grue 

Sing  Lah 

..29.. 
.   34.. 

Male 

Male 

Male 

Tuberculous .... 
AniBsthetic 

Chonc  Chue .  . . 

..46. 
..39.. 
..17.. 
.32.. 
.33.. 

Tuberculous 

E .  Erickson 

Male 

Female 

Male 

White 

Ah  Ling 

Han  Yee 

Mongolian 

Mongolian 

Mongolian 

Male 

Tuberculous 

Ah  See 

..34.. 

Male 

Tuberculous  .... 

IX.  "  How  many  cases  of  the  said  diseases  have  recovered  or  been  dis- 
charged from  the  hospital  and  allowed  to  associate  with  the  population  of  the 
State  ?" 

In  reply  to  the  first  part  of  tliis  question  I  must  answer 
that  though  leprosy  Avas  known  and  recognized  long  before 
the  Christian  era,  no  recoveries  have  ever  been  recorded 
outside  of  biblical  literature,  the  recoveries  being  those 
mentioned  in  II  Kings,  chap.  5,  and  by  St.  Luke,  chap.  5. 

*Note. — Charles  Lacy  was  an  Americanized  Chinaman.  He  was  brought 
to  this  State  when  a  child,  and  lived  in  an  American  family,  where  he  lost  all 
knowledge  of  his  native  longue,  and  was  fairly  educated  in  English.  He  wore 
his  hair  short,  assumed  the  manners  and  habits  of  those  by  whom  he  was 
surrounded,  and  had  bo  sympathy  with  the  "  pagans,"  as  he  called  his  coun- 
trymen. 


108  THE  INTKODUCTION  AND  SPREAD  OF  LEPEOSY. 

But  one  patient  has  ever  been  discharged  from  the  hospital. 
One  Ha  Toi,  a  Chinese  female  aged  31  years,  was  admitted 
June  2,  187-4,  and  the  record  shows  that  she  was  "discharged 
at  her  own  request"  July  28,  1874.  Of  her  subsequent  his- 
tory nothing  is  known. 

X.  "  Have  any  of  the  persons  admitted  afflicted  with  leprosy  or  elephan" 
tiasis  been  discharged  from  the  hospital  or  Lazaretto  to  any  part  of  the  city, 
county,  State  or  United  States,  except  fourteen  lepers  August  31,  1876,  and 
seventeen  lepers  June  2,  1879  ?" 

Yes;  seventeen  lepers  were  shipped  on  the  "  Belgic"  Dec. 
21,  1880,  making  a  total  of  48  shipped  at  the  es23ense  of  the 
City  and  County. 

XI.  "  Have  you  or  any  of  your  predecessors  ever  forwarded  to  the 
Secretary  of  State  quarterly  statements  showing  the  name,  age,  sex  and 
birthplace  of  each  leper  ?    If  so,  on  what  dates  were  these  reports  made  ? 

I  have  never  made  such  a  report,  and,  so  far  as  I  am 
able  to  learn,  none  such  has  ever  been  made  by  any  of  my 
predecessors. 

XII.  ' '  The  total  cost  and  expense  to  the  City  and  Co  anty  in  the  care  and 
support  of  persons  afflicted  wi'.h  leprosy  or  elephantiasis,  including  main- 
teuiince,  medicines,  medical  attendance  and  a  reasonable  amount  for  use  of 
buildings  for  hospital  or  Lazaretto  purposes?  " 

The  total  cost  of  maintaining  this  class  of  unfortunates 
for  the  six  months  ending  December  31st,  1883,  amounted 
in  the  aggregate  to  $3,400i'uo,  and  this  sum  does  not  include 
the  rent  of  buildings.  Seven  thousand  ($7,000)  dollars  per 
annum  for  the  past  live  years  would  be  a  fair  estimate. 

In  concluding  your  letter  of  inquiry,  you  ask,  among 
other  things,  ' '  Is  leprosy  contagious  ?  "  In  the  general  and 
more  popular  meaning  of  the  word,  it  is  not,  perhaps.  This 
is  known,  however,  that  it  is  capable  by  some  occult  means 
of  reproducing  itself  by  the  association  of  leprosic  with 
healthy  persons.  The  disease  was  unknown  in  the  Sandwich 
Islands  prior  to  the  year  1849,  about  which  year  it  is  claimed 
to  have  been  introduced  by  the  Chinese.  Dr.  Hillebrand, 
an.  eminent  authority  upon  the  subject,  saw  his  first  leper  in 
1853,  about  twenty  miles  from  Honolulu.  He  paid  special 
attention  to  this  case  and  in  1861  the  subject  had  the  dis- 
ease in  its  worst  form  of  development,  and  six  other  persons 
in  his  immediate  neighhoi'hood  had  become  affected.  In  1864  the 
same  authority  observed  the  same  condition  of  affairs  in 
another  village,  the  tax-gatherer  of  which  for  many  years 
had  been  the  only  known  leper  in  the  district. 


THE  INTEODUCTION  AND  SPREAD  OF  LEPEOSY.  109 

Twenty-five  years  after  its  introduction  into  the  Islands 
the  percentage  of  known  cases  of  persons  affected  was  three 
and  one-half  (3|)  per  thousand  of  the  entire  population, 
while  the  percentage  of  unknown  cases  was  estimated  to  be 
in  the  same  ratio.  By  "unknown  cases  "  was  meant  those 
instances,  and  they  were  many,  where  the  disease  was  con- 
cealed by  the  voluntary  isolation  of  the  diseased  persons,  or 
the  suppression  of  the  knowledge  of  their  affliction  by  the 
friends  and  relatives  of  lepers  of  family  and  influence. 

Dr.  Tilbury  Fox,  as  the  result  of  his  observations  of  the 
disease,  as  it  presented  itself  in  the  Islands,  remarks: 

"  Here,  then,  the  influence  of  '  hereditary  transmission' 
is  out  of  the  question.  The  disease  arises  in  a  clean  nature, 
is  unnoticed  at  first,  and  spreads  slowly.  It  so  happens 
that  the  hygienic  state  of  the  natives,  and  colony,  has  im- 
proved and  not  deteriorated.  Animal  food  is  within  the 
reach  of  all.  Labor  is  in  great  demand  and  well  paid  for. 
The  climate  is,  perhaps,  the  finest  in  the  world,  taxation  is 
light,  and,  yet,  notwithstanding,  leprosy  spreads^  and  has 
spread  from  and  around  knoivn  lepers,  as  from  centers  of  con- 
tagion. 

Some  writers  dissent  from  the  foregoing  views,  but  none, 
so  far  as  I  know,  have  attempted  an  explanation  of  tlie  facts 
upon  which  Drs.  Hillebrand  and  Fox  and  other  investigators 
have  based  their  conclusions. 

The  conditions  and  circumstances  under  which  the 
disease  is  communicated  from  leprosic  to  healthy  persons, 
are  difficult  to  define.  This  difficulty  arises  from  the  fact 
that  the  long  period  of  incubation  incident  to  the  disease 
deprives  the  student  and  investigator  of  reliable  data  on 
which  to  base  an  intelligent  answer  to  questions  bearing 
upon  the  subject.  But  that  the  peccant  principle  will,  in 
the  near  future,  be  found  resident  in  the  exhalations  of  the 
diseased,  is  an  inference  almost  irresistible. 

You  ask:  "Can  the  existence  of  the  diseases,  leprosy 
and  elephantiasis,  be  ascertained  at  any  stage  ?  "  During  the 
early  months  of  the  disease  an  opinion  as  to  its  true  nature 
and  character  would  be  little  better  than  conjectural;  so 
slow  is  its  progress,  particularly  in  the  well-fed  subject, 
that  two  years  may  elapse  before  its  true  nature  can  be 
determined  with  absolute  certainty.  In  the  poorly  nourished 
and  especially  where  the  face  is  the  principal  point  of  attack, 


110  THE  INTKODUCTION  AND  SPREAD  OF  LEPROSY. 

it  should  be  recognized  bj  one  familiar  witb.  the  symptoms, 
at  the  end  of  the  first  year  of  its  progress.  If,  however,  as 
sometimes  occurs,  the  feet  and  lower  extremities  are  for 
years  the  only  parts  affected,  an  advanced  stage  of  develop- 
ment may  be  reached,  which  only  such  an  examination  as 
the  military  recruit  is  subject  to  would  reveal.  Three  cases 
of  the  latter  class  have  been  admitted  to  this  Hospital 
within  a  few  months  of  their  arrival  in  the  country.  Two 
of  them  had  been  lepers — consciously  so — for  several  years. 

When  the  disease  reaches  that  stage  of  development  so 
vividly  described  by  Glanville  in  his  "Report  of  Leprosy 
in  the  Fourteenth  Century,"  it  would  be  at  once  recognized 
wherever  seen,  and  several  such  cases  are  now  under  my 
charge.  Glanville  says  the  signs  of  the  loathsome  disease 
are  as  follows: 

"Redde  whelkes  and  pymples  on  the  face,  out  of  which 
oftene  run  blood  and  matter;  the  nose  swelle  and  ben  grate, 
the  virtue  of  smelling  faileth  and  the  brethe  stynketh  right 
fowle  ^  *  *  *  *  * 

The  infectyd  are  unclene,  spotyd,  glemy  and  guyttery;  the 
nostryls  be  stopyt,  the  weasand  of  the  voys  is  rough  and 
the  voys  is  horse  and  the  here  (hair)  falls." 

In  conclusion,  permit  me  to  say  that  I  have  endeavored 
to  answer  your  questions  as  fully  as  circumstances  would 
permit.  Should  there  be  any  propositions  that  I  have  over- 
looked, it  would  be,  by  me,  considered  a  personal  favor  to 
have  my  attention  called  to  them  in  the  hope  that  my  per- 
sonal experience  and  knowledge  of  the  subject  may,  in  the 
near  future,  be  of  benefit  to  the  public  at  large. 
Very  respectfully, 

John  W.  Foye,  M.  D., 
Resident  Physician,  City  and  County  Small-pox  Hospital. 

It  is  true  that  the  progress  and  spread  of  leprosy  in 
California  has  not  been  as  rapid  as  in  the  Hawaiian  Islands; 
that  is  probably  due  to  climatic  influences.  But  the  fact 
remains  that  it  is  here,  and  that  it  is  spreading  among  the 
people,  however  slowly,  and  that  leprosy  has  become  an 
engrafted  American  disease  solely  by  reason  of  Chinese 
immigration.  Its  progress  in  the  Hawaiian  Islands  since 
its  iniroduction  there  by  the  Chinese  is  a  fearful  warning  of 


THE   EACES    IN  CONFLICT.  Ill 

what  is  likely  to  follow  here  even  with  the  best  methods  of 
combatting  the  evil  that  professional  science  can  adopt. 

In  Hawaii,  the  Island  of  Molokai  has  been  set  apart 
bj  the  government  for  a  Lazaretto  for  lepers.  There  every 
man  upon  whom  the  disease  has  developed  is  not  only  sent 
to  remain  through  life,  but  his  family  must  also  accompany 
him.  The  scenes  that  are  enacted  at  Honolulu  and  else- 
where when  this  deportation  of  families  to  their  doom  takes 
place  are  heart-rending.  Some  such  measure  will  inevit- 
ably have  to  be  adopted  in  all  communities  in  the  United 
States  where  Chinese  live  in  any  considerable  numbers,  for 
there  this  most  loathsome  of  all  diseases  which  flesh  is  heir 
to  is  sure  to  go,  until,  if  this  evil  of  Chinese  immigration  is 
to  go  on  unchecked,  we  also  shall  have  become  a  nation  of 
lepers.  Is  the  doctrine  of  the  common  brotherhood  of 
man  and  the  conversion  of  the  heathen  worth  maintaining  at 
such  a  price  as  this  ? 


CHAPTER  X. 


THE    RACES   IN    CONELICT. 

While  these  pages  have  been  under  preparation,  two 
events  have  occurred  in  relation  to  the  Chinese  question 
which  have  aroused  the  indignation  and  excited  the  horror 
of  the  people  of  the  whole  country.  In  Wyoming  Territory- 
some  white  miners,  exasperated  at  the  presence  of  a  large 
number  of  Chinese  laborers  who  had  come  among  them,  per- 
petrated a  horrible  massacre  of  many  of  them,  burned  and 
pillaged  their  habitations,  and  drove  the  few  who  escaped 
immediate  butchery  into  flight  from  their  satanic  fury. 
Scarcely  had  this  story  been  told  when  news  of  a  similar 
massacre  of  Chinese,  perpetrated  again  by  white  men  in 
Washington  Territory,  is  promulgated.     In  the  whole  annals 


112  THE  RACES  IN  CONFLICT, 

of  similar  outbreaks  in  our  country,  there  is  nothing  more 
cruel  and  atrocious  in  its  details  and  results,  and  nothing 
more  utterly  wanton  and  inexcusable.  Both  events  are 
instances  of  wholesale  crime  that  ought  not  to  go  unpun- 
ished, and  which  no  man  can  excuse  or  palliate.  But  these 
unhappy  events  illustrate  several  important  features  of  the 
Chinese  question  which  it  is  well  to  call  attention  to;  for, 
however  much  they  are  to  be  deplored,  thoughtful  men 
who  will  examine  the  matter  carefully  will  perceive  in 
them  a  political  lesson  which  the  American  people  will  do 
well  to  study  and  profit  by. 

First,  it  should  be  observed  that  the  people  who  have 
suffered  the  greatest  wrong  by-  reason  of  Chinese  immigra- 
tion— ^the  citizens  of  California,  and  of  San  Francisco  in 
particular — have  exercised  more  than  thirty  years  of  patient 
forbearance  toward  the  Chinese,  notwithstanding  the  ava- 
lanche of  evils  which  the  race  has  sent  down  upon  them- 
Here  the  strong  arm  of  the  law  and  of  humanity  has  at  all 
times  been  extended  over  them  in  protection  from  that 
violence  that  their  presence  has  always  provoked  among  the 
laboring  cla&ses,  who  suffer  most  severely  from  their  pres- 
ence. Here  there  has  been  always  manifested  a  broader 
spirit  of  toleration  and  a  more  patient  bearing  than  could 
have  ever  taken  place  elsewhere  under  like  circumstances  of 
provocation,  while  unceasing  appeal  has  gone  up  to  the 
higher  authority  of  the  nation  for  relief  by  lawful  means 
from  the  curse  thus  sent  upon  them.  All  the  while  this  ap- 
peal had  been  unheeded  until  the  passage  of  the  Restriction 
Act,  and  all  the  while  other  communities  have  denied  the 
justice  of  our  course,  and  lauded  the  character  of  the 
Chinese,  against  whom  we  have  cried  out  so  justly.  But 
when  the  evil  is  brought  home  to  iliem,  when  in  other  com- 
munities the  Chinese  laborer  is  brought  in  direct  contact 
with  the  American  laborer  he  is  met  with  the  summary 
argument  of  the  bullet  and  the  torch.  The  forbearance 
which  we  have  so  long  exercised  finds  neither  lodgment  nor 


THE   RACES   IN  CONFLICT.  113 

entertainment  in  other  communities  when  the  question  is 
forced  upon  them  by  direct  contact.  The  injustice 
with  which  we  have  been  treated  by  our  fellow-countrymen 
who  have  refused  and  still  refuse  their  aid  and  sympathy  is 
by  these  deplorable  incidents  made  glaringly  apparent. 

But  these  massacres — horrible  as  they  are  to  con- 
template, humiliating  and  shameful  as  they  are  to  the 
American  people — are  by  no  means  the  most  serious 
side  of  this  phase  of  the  Chinese  question.  They  are  but 
warnings,  but  mutterings  of  a  danger  that  gathers  like 
the  thunder-clouds  in  the  distant  horizon,  soon  to  develop 
into  the  resistless  cyclone  of  destruction.  There  is  an  attri- 
bute of  human  nature  which,  however  deeply  we  may  deplore 
its  existence,  cannot  and  must  not  be  ignored.  It  is  the 
blind,  passionate  element  which  incites  men  to  band  to- 
gether at  times  when  they  are  conscious  of  being  wronged, 
and  doing  deeds  of  desperation  such  as  those  which  the 
stories  of  these  massacres  involve.  Indefensible  as  these 
acts  are,  done  under  the  influence  of  passionate  fury,  they 
occur  and  will  continue  to  occur  as  long  as  mankind  remains 
unregenerated.  No  punishment  can  prevent  the  recurrence 
of  such  acts,  however  necessary  it  may  be  and  is  to  mete  out 
punishment  whenever  these  public  wrongs  are  perpetrated. 
And  there  is  nothing  in  the  whole  history  of  our  country 
that  can  be  cited  as  a  surer  provocative  of  such  action  on 
the  part  of  an  exasperated  multitude;  and  hence  nothing 
more  dangerous  in  the  whole  economy  of  our  social  and 
political  organization  than  this  contact  with  the  Chinese  ele- 
ment thus  infusing  itself  among  us.  All  the  outburst  of 
sentiment,  all  the  just  condemnation  that  may  be  uttered 
will  not  change  the  constituent  elements  of  human  nature, 
and  therefore  the  direct  anathemas  that  may  be  hurled  from 
the  pulpit  or  the  press  upon  those  who  are  guilty  of  these 
acts  will  not  meet  the  issue  or  right  the  wrong.  It  is  the 
duty  of  the  parent  Government  to  intervene  and  prevent  the 
possibility  of  the  wrong   being  perpetrated  by  prohibiting 

8 


114  THE    RACES   IN    CONFLICT. 

the  further  influx  of  the  Chinese,  and  thus  removing  the 
cause  of  the  wrong  to  a  large  extent,  leaving  the  question  of 
how  best  to  deal  with  those  that  are  here— the  only  part  of 
the  problem  remaining  to  be  solved. 

The  history  of  Chinese  immigration  and  colonization  is  a 
historv  of  antagonism  of  races  that  is  marked  with  massacre 
and  bloodshed.  In  Manilla,  in  1603,  a  conflict  between  the 
Spanish  and  Chinese  occurred,  growing  out  of  precisely 
similar  causes  which  antagonize  public  sentiment  here,  in 
which  over  23,000  Chinese  were  massacred.  Again,  in  1639, 
in  Laguna,  on  the  same  island,  an  insurrection  among  the 
Chinese  occurred  in  which  thousands  of  them  were  again 
butchered  by  the  Spaniards.  In  1653  the  Chinese  were 
ordered  to  leave  Manilla.  They  refused  to  comply,  and 
12,000  were  again  slaughtered.  "  It  is  wonderful,"  says  De 
Mas,  "  that  any  Chinaman  should  come  to  the  Philippines 
after  the  repeated  slaughters  of  their  countrymen  at  difi"erent 
periods,  though  it  is  certain  they  have  often  brought  down 
the  thunderbolt  on  their  own  heads." 

In  Batavia,  similar  scenes  were  enacted  between  the 
Dutch  and  Chinese  in  the  middle  of  the  eighteenth  century. 
In  1740  occurred  the  great  conflict  between  these  two 
races  in  which  more  than  12,000  Chinese  were  mercilessly 
butchered. 

In  Australia  similar  conflicts  have  occurred,  and  where- 
ever  the  two  races  have  met  in  communal  relation  like 
scenes  have  been  re-enacted.  These  facts  furnish  neither 
palliation  nor  excuse  for  the  recent  massacres  in  Wyoming 
and  Washington  Territories;  but  they  are  facts  which  con- 
stitute a  lesson  in  themselves  that  cannot  safely  be  ignored. 
The  hard-handed,  hard-laboring  classes,  with  wives  and 
children  to  feed,  clothe  and  care  for,  do  not  always  stop  to 
reason  when  they  see  this  race  occupying  a  field  of  labor 
which  they  are  accustomed  to  consider  their  own,  and 
which  by  their  very  birth-right  is  theirs,  as  all  the  evidences 
that  have  gone  before  fully  prove.     And  when,  infuriated  by 


THE   RACES  IN  CONFLICT.  115 

a  sense  of  wrong,  thej  seek  these  insane  methods  of  remedy 
and  redress,  they  cease  for  the  time  being  to  be  amenable 
to  reason,  however  sternly  it  may  be  necessary  for  the  wel- 
fare of  society  to  make  them  amenable  to  the  law.  For 
this  reason,  wherever  the  Chinese  race  may  go  to  occupy 
fields  of  labor  now  occupied  by  men  of  the  Caucasian  race, 
there  these  horrid  scenes  will  from  time  to  time  be 
re-enacted,  in  spite  of  precaution  and  public  condemnation, 
before  the  event,  or  panishment  by  the  law  afterwards. 
Not  all  the  proclamations '  of  the  civil  authorities,  not  all 
the  anathemas  of  the  public  press,  not  all  the  terrors  of  the 
enforcement  of  the  law  can  prevent  it  everywhere,  look  at  it 
as  we  may.  There  has  been  no  day  in  twenty  years  when 
San  Francisco  has  not  stood  in  dread  and  danger  of  a 
public  outbreak  by  reason  of  the  presence  of  the  Chinese 
here,  which,  if  it  did  occur,  would  appal  the  world.  And  it 
speaks  volumes  of  praise  for  her  civil  authorities  that  they 
have  so  far  been  able  to  uphold  and  maintain  the  majesty  of 
the  law  and  the  preservation  of  public  order,  with  all  the 
irritating  influences  that  have  been  constantly  encountered 
calculated  to  provoke  riot  and  bloodshed.  Why  not,  then, 
recognize  the  fact  that  no  two  elements  in  nature  under 
chemical  laws  are  more  antagonistic  to  each  other  than  are 
these  two  races  when  brought  in  contact  ?  Why  not  cease 
the  effort  to  compel  them  to  commingle  when  the  only  result 
will  be  the  more  frequent  recurrence  of  such  scenes  as 
these  massacres,  which  we  all  so  fully  abhor  and  condemn, 
but  which  we  cannot  prevent  so  long  as  we  persist  in  this 
unnatural  effort? 

It  is  not  a  question  of  sentiment,  it  is  not  a  political 
theory  that  is  at  issue,  which  is  to  be  maintained  at  every 
hazard;  it  is  a  question  of  common  sense  and  common 
humanity.  And  it  is  as  certain  as  the  movements  of  the 
planets  that  a  question,  involving  as  this  does  the  material 
welfare  of  the  laboring  classes  and  the  moral  welfare  of  the 
whole  American  people,  will  one  day  right  itself  b}'  a  revolu- 


116  THE   EACES  IN   CONFLICT. 

tion  that  will  be  as  resistless  as  the  ocean  tides,  if  the  gov- 
ernment of  the  United  States  persists  in  refusing  to  put  an 
end  to  the  evil,  and  thus  put  an  end  to  the  possibility  of 
outbreaks  and  massacres  that  are  disgraceful  to  the  American 
people,  and  humiliating  to  humanity  itself. 

In  discussing  this  aspect  of  the  Chinese  question,  it  is 
better  to  treat  it  with  frankness  than  to  disguise  it  with 
sophistry.  The  States  of  the  Pacific  Coast  are  sufficiently 
remote  from  the  great  centers  of  American  population  and 
political  power  to  attract  but  a  comparatively  insignificant 
share  of  public  attention.  California,  as  the  once  glowing 
El  Dorado  of  the  American  Continent,  no  longer  commands 
that  conspicuous  position  in  the  public  mind  that  she  once 
occupied,  however  much  she  may  have  enlarged  her  wealth 
and  population  since  she  became  a  State  of  the  American 
Union.  Her  local  troubles,  arising  from  the  enormous  influx 
of  Chinese  that  have  been  thrust  upon  her  by  her  geograph- 
ical position,  and  the  peculiar  conditions  under  which  she 
has  labored,  have  attracted  but  a  minor  share  of  public  atten- 
tion in  States  east  of  the  Mississij)pi,  however  gigantic  and 
important  they  have  seemed,  and  still  seem,  to  her  own  peo- 
ple. Mankind,  selfish  and  absorbed  in  their  own  local 
events  and  individual  welfare,  in  the  mass  devote  but  little 
consideration  to  the  welfare  of  a  people  remote  from  them, 
except  at  intervals  when  chance  or  some  great  public  calam- 
ity or  extraordinary  event  affecting  such  remote  community 
happens  to  bring  them  up  for  discussion.  And  when  the 
appeals  for  relief  from  the  evils  of  Chinese  immigration  go 
up,  even  with  unanimous  accord,  from  the  peoj^le  of  Califor- 
nia, because  the  subject  cannot  be  brought  directly  home  to 
the  whole  people  of  the  whole  Union,  it  occasions  but  a  rip- 
ple upon  the  surface  of  public  events,  and  has  long  ago 
ceased  to  be  more  than  a  common-place  topic.  But,  unless 
the  attention  of  the  American  people  can  be  aroused  to  the 
magnitude  and  importance  of  this  tremendous  question  by 
an  exposition  of  the  real  issues  involved  in  it,  moralize  as 
we  may,  the  day  is  not  remote  when  that  attention  will  be 


THE   RACES  IN   CONFLICT.  117 

aroused  by  events  that  will  transpire  here  which  will  startle 
the  whole  civilized  world.  The  Pacific  States  will  then  at- 
tract a  degree  of  attention  that  will,  by  reason  of  their  very 
remoteness  and  inaccessibility,  command  that  consideration 
which  they  cannot  now  obtain,  and  make  them  literally 
"masters,  of  the  situation." 

"Let  us  reason  together."  There  is  no  axiom  in  human 
morals  more  clearly  absolute  and  immutable  than  that  "self- 
preservation  is  the  first  law  of  nature."  There  is  no  prin- 
ciple in  the  world's  economy  more  thoroughly  well  established 
than  this,  and  in  a  free  republic  like  our  own  all  the  National, 
State  or  municipal  laws  that  ever  were  or  ever  will  be  en- 
acted cannot  overcome  this  inherent  principle  in  our  natures. 
Is  it  to  be  presumed  that  when,  after  every  possible  appeal 
has  been  made  for  national  relief,  the  laboring  classes  find 
their  last  hope  dissipated,  and  themselves  beaten  back  in 
retreat  from  competition  with  the  continually-advancing 
hordes  of  Chinese  cheap  laborers,  and  the  policy  of  the 
National  Government  finally  fixed  in  favor  of  further  tolera- 
tion of  this  indescribable  evil,  is  it  to  be  presumed  that  this 
law  of  self-preservation  will  not  then  assert  itself  in  such 
summary  methods  as  will  be  resistless  and  final  ?  We  must 
revolutionize  human  nature  itself  before  we  may  dare  to 
dream  of  other  results  than  these;  for,  if  unfortunately  it 
should  come  to  this,  there  will  one  day  inevitably  be  a  con- 
flict of  races  here  upon  the  American  soil  that,  however 
much  it  may  startle  and  horrify  the  world,  will  furnish  a 
solution  of  this  great  problem  proportionately  as  bloody  in 
its  results  as  those  which  the  rebellion  recorded  upon  so 
many  sad  pages  of  American  history. 

The  American  Kepublic  possesses  no  more  loyal  and 
patriotic  people  than  those  of  California,  no  matter  in  what 
section  of  the  Union  we  may  look  for  them.  Let  this  issue 
take  on  the  dreadful  aspect  here  foreshadowed,  and  they  will 
still  be  loyal  as  they  are  now.  But  should  it  unhappily 
reach  that  stage,  not  all  the  power  of  the  National  Govern- 
ment can  soon  enough  be  put  forth  to  avert  the  dreaded 


118  THE    RACES   IN   CONFLICT. 

calamity,  and  not  all  the  power  of  the  National  Government 
will  then  be  sufficient  to  avenge  the  deed.  For,  once  the 
issue  is  thus  forced,  once  this  unhappy  condition  of  things 
accomplished,  there  could  be  no  effort  at  punishment  that 
would  not  involve  the  welfare  and  perhaps  the  lives  of  thou- 
sands of  laboring  men  here,  whom  the  j)eopIe  of  the  Pacific 
Coast  would  defend  and  protect  with  their  own  lives  if  neces- 
sary, even  though  in  assuming  this  attitude  they  would  stand 
in  open  rebellion  and  defiance  of  the  National  Government; 
for  they  would  not  fail  to  recognize  the  fact  that  upon  the 
National  Government  the  true  responsibility  for  the  disaster 
should  justly  rest,  and  not  upon  their  exasperated,  desperate, 
even  though  unwise,  immediate  fellow-citizens.  We  may 
as  well  meet  the  issue  fairly  and  frankly  as  to  evade  it 
by  failure  to  acknowledge  the  true  magnitude  of  the  great 
danger  that  is  involved  in  the  question. 

The  gulf  between  labor  and  capital  is  wide  enough  al- 
ready to  tax  the  wisdom  of  mankind  in  an  effort  to  bridge  it 
over  and  harmonize  the  interests  that  stand  in  constant 
antagonism  against  each  other.  Shall  it  be  widened  and 
deepened  more  by  the  introduction  of  a  species  of  human 
degradation  in  the  field  of  American  labor  that  is  "  but  little 
better  than  old-fashioned  slavery,"  and  which  will  result  in 
making  the  rich  richer  and  the  present  laboring  classes 
poorer?  Can  capital  and  capitalists  afford  to  invite  this 
issue  in  addition  to  the  serious  problem  which  they  are  at 
present  endeavoring  to  solve  in  adjusting  upon  a  satisfactory 
basis  the  relations  at  present  existing  between  capital  and 
labor?  If  such  be  the  attitude  of  capital  and  capitalists,  ifc 
means  eventually  political  revolution,  by  which  a  new  kingdom 
will  be  established  upon  the  American  Continent,  and  Amer- 
ican labor  shall  be  crowned  as  its  reigning  and  hereditary 
king.  That  will  be  the  inevitable  issue,  and  we  may  as  well 
recognize  the  fact  as  to  foolishly  ignore  it.  For  if  such  are 
to  be  the  prevailing  couditions,  if  such  is  to  be  the  attitude 
of  Capital  vs.  Labor,  it  will  be  but  the  triumph  of  the  right; 
and  the  right  must  prevail. 


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PART  II. 


Report  of  Special  ComflTTEE. 


2b  the  Honorable,  the  Board  of  Supervisors  of  the  Citj/  and 
Count)/  of  San  Francisco; 

Gentlemen  : 

Your  Special  Committee,  appointed  on  the  second  of 
February  last  to  investigate  and  report  upon  that  section  of 
San  Erancisco  commonly  known  as  "Chinatown,"  have 
diligently  prosecuted  the  labors  thus  assigned  to  them,  and 
respectfully  report  as  follows: 

Without  attempting  to  deal  with  the  Chinese  occupancy 
of  any  portions  of  the  city  outside  of  these  limits,  your  Com- 
mittee confined  their  investigations  to  the  locality  embraced 
within  the  boundaries  of  California  street  on  the  south, 
Kearny  street  on  the  east,  Broadway  on  the  north,  and 
Stockton  street  on  the  west,  covering  twelve  blocks  in  all. 
The  drift  of  Chinese  population  has  carried  large  numbers 
into  blocks  west  of  Stockton  street,  but  for  economical 
reasons  we  have  considered  that  it  was  unnecessary  at  the 
present  time  to  go  beyond  the  boundaries  we  have  named 
for  the  purposes  to  be  covered  by  this  report. 

A  map  of  the  district  embraced  within  these  boundaries 
accompanies  this  report.  It  represents  the  character  of 
occupancy  of  the  first  or  street  floor  alone,  and  does  not 
show  the  character  of  occupancy  of  the  basements  and  sub- 
basements,  or  the  floors  above  the  street.  This,  of  course, 
could  only  be  done  by  a  series  of  block  maps.  Every  floor 
and  every  room  in  "  Chinatown"  has,  however,  been  visited 
by  your  Committee,  or  by  the  surveyors  employed  by  them, 
and  the  conditions  of  occupancy  of  every  room  are  fully  de- 
scribed and  set  forth  in  the  detailed  report  of  the  surveyors, 
which  will  be  filed  with  this  report. 


4  EEPOPvT    OF   SPECIAL   COMSHTTEE 

The  General  Aspect  of  the  Locality. 

When  your  Committee  commenced  their  investigations, 
they  made  a  general  examination  of  "Chinatown,"  visiting 
as  often  as  they  could,  conveniently,  houses,  shops,  and 
places  of  business  in  all  parts  of  that  locality,  with  the 
desire  and  intention  of  obtaining  a  correct  idea  of  the  general 
condition  of  things  there,  and  the  ordinary  mode  of  life  and 
practices  of  its  inhabitants.  Tour  Committee  were  at  that 
time  impressed  with  the  fact  that  the  general  aspect  of  the 
streets  and  habitations  was  filthy  in  the  extreme,  and  so  long 
as  they  remained  in  that  condition,  so  long  would  they  stand 
as  a  constant  menace  to  the  welfare  of  society  as  a  slum- 
bering pest,  likely  at  any  time  to  generate  and  spread  disease, 
should  the  city  be  visited  by  an  epidemic  in  any  virulent 
form.  Your  Committee  are  still  of  the  opinion  that  it  con- 
stitutes a  continued  source  of  danger  of  this  character,  and 
probably  always  will,  so  long  as  it  is  inhabited  by  people  of 
the  Mongolian  race.  They  are  glad  to  be  able  to  say,  how- 
ever, that  the  presence  and  operation  of  the  surveyors  since 
employed  by  them  have  had  a  most  salutary  effect — whether 
lasting  or  not — in  inducing  a  "general  cleaning  up"  where 
filth  was  the  rule  before,  until  a  better  general  aspect  is  now 
presented  than  was  the  case  at  the  time  when  this  investi- 
gation began. 

Knowing  the  peculiar  habits  of  this  people,  it  is  not  likely 
that  this  better  condition  of  things  will  continue  long,  now 
that  the  operations  of  the  surveyors  employed  by  your  Com- 
mittee have  been  concluded,  or  that  anything  better  will 
follow  than  a  relapse  back  into  their  more  dense  condition  of 
nastiness,  in  which  they  apparently  delight  to  exist.  Never- 
theless, something  has  been  gained  in  the  demonstration  of 
the  fact  that  by  constant  watching  and  close  supervision  the 
residents  of  Chinatown  can  be  made  to  adopt  somewhat 
better  habits,  and  become  less  obnoxious — on  this  score,  at 
least — as  well  as  a  lesser  source  of  danger   to  the  public 


BOARD   OF   SUPERVISORS.  5 

health;  and,  therefore,  it  is  perhaps  well  to  inquire  now 
whether  it  will  not  be  wise  to  inaugurate  new  rules  and  a  new 
policy,  under  which  they  must  be  brought,  if  they  are  to 
continue  to  remain  among  us. 

In  speaking  thus  of  the  improvement  that  has  taken  place 
in  the  general  appearance  of  "  Chinatown"  since  your  Com- 
mittee commenced  its  investigations,  we  would  not  be 
understood  as  saying  that  the  condition  of  the  locality  is  in 
any  sense  what  it  should  be  in  point  of  cleanliness.  Our 
effort  is  to  point  out  the  fact  that,  as  compared  with  what  it 
was  four  months  ago,  it  presents  an  improved  aspect.  The 
difference  is  one  of  degree,  however,  and  even  in  its  bettered 
aspect,  in  its  byways,  its  slums,  and  its  purlieus,  its  habita- 
tions, some  of  its  places  of  business  and  places  of  amuse- 
ments, it  is  to-day  the  J&lthiest  spot  inhabited  by  men, 
women  aiid  children  on  the  American  continent. 

All  great  cities  have  their  slums  and  localities  where 
filth,  disease,  crime  and  misery  abound;  but  in  the  very  best 
aspect  which  *'  Chinatown"  can  be  made  to  present,  it  must 
stand  apart,  conspicuous  and  beyond  them  all  in  the  extreme 
degree  of  all  these  horrible  attributes,  the  rankest  outgrowth 
of  human  degradation  that  can  be  found  upon  this  continent. 
Here  it  may  truly  be  said  that  human  beings  exist  under 
conditions  (as  regards  their  mode  of  life  and  the  air  they 
breathe)  scarcely  one  degree  above  those  under  which  the 
rats  of  our  water-front  and  other  vermin  live,  breathe  and 
have  their  being.  And  this  order  of  things  seems  insepa- 
rable from  the  very  nature  of  the  race,  and  probably  must 
be  accepted  and  borne  with — must  be  endured,  if  it  cannot 
be  cured — restricted  and  looked  after,  so  far  as  possible, 
with  unceasing  vigilance,  so  that,  whatever  of  benefit,  "  of 
degree,"  even,  that  may  be  derived  from  such  modification 
of  the  evil  of  their  presence  among  us,  may  at  least  be 
attained,  not  daring  to  hope  that  there  can  be  any  radical 
remedy  for  the  great,  overshadowing  evil  which  Chinese 
immigration  has  inflicted  upon  this  people. 


6  BEPORT   OF   SPECIAL   COMTMTTTEE 

The  Population  of  Chlnafowri. 

No  known  metliod  of  census-taking  lias  ever  yet  sufficed 
to  furnish  an  approximate  idea  even  of  the  numbers  of  our 
Chinese  population.  It  is  believed  that  the  system  which 
has  been  adopted  in  the  conduct  of  this  investigation  will 
result  in  establishing  a  more  correct  conclusion  on  this 
point,  so  far  as  the  twelve  blocks  covered  by  it  are  con- 
cerned, than  can  be  obtained  through  any  other  method. 
Every  building  in  this  district  has  been  visited,  examined, 
measured,  and  delineated  on  the  map  of  the  district  herewith 
furnished;  the  number  of  rooms  which  each  contains,  and 
the  number  of  bunks  or  sleeping  accommodations  given  in 
the  report  furnished  your  Committee  by  its  surveyors,  and 
certainly  with  approximate  accuracy,  the  number  of  men, 
women  and  children  of  Chinese  origin  wJio  sleep  in  this  dis- 
trict, is  now  known  and  is  herewith  given.  On  this  basis, 
and  through  this  system  of  computation,  we  are  enabled  to 
show  what  we  believe  is  a  fair  return  of  the  population  of 
the  district  referred  to.  Whatever  Chinese  population  there 
may  be  outside  of  this  district  (which  is,  of  course,  well 
known  to  be  quite  large)  must  still  remain  a  matter  of  specu- 
lation and  "guess-work"  until  such  time  as  further  measures 
may  be  adopted  to  ascertain  the  fact. 

Your  Committee  have  found,  both  from  their  own  and 
individual  observations  and  from  the  reports  of  their  sur- 
veyors, that  it  is  almost  the  universal  custom  among  the 
Chinese  to  herd  together  as  compactly  as  possible,  both  as 
regards  living  and  sleeping-rooms  and  sleeping-accommoda. 
tions.  It  is  almost  an  invariable  rule  that  every  "bunk" 
in  Chinatown  (beds  being  almost  unknown  in  that  locality) 
is  occupied  by  two  persons.  Not  only  is  this  true,  but  in 
very  many  instances  these  bunks  are  again  occupied  by 
"  relays"  in  the  day  time,  so  that  there  is  no  hour,  night  or 
day,  when  there  are  not  thousands  of  Chinamen  sleeping 
tinder  the  effects  of  opium,  or  otherwise,  in  the  bunks  which 
we  have  found  there. 


BOARD   OF   SUPERVISORS. 


Besides  these  bunks,  rolls  of  bedding,  for  nse  in  sleeping 
on  floors  and  various  other  sleeping-accommodations,  are 
found.  All  these  bunks,  rolls,  etc.,  have  been  carefully 
noted  and  enumerated  in  their  reports  furnished  to  us  by  the 
surveyors;  and  from  them  we  reach  the  following  results  of 
an  estimated  enumeration  of  the  population  of  "China- 
town." 

For  convenient  reference,  the  numbers  of  the  blocks 
named  from  time  to  time  in  this  report  are  those  by  which 
the  same  blocks  are  distinguished  in  the  books  of  the 
Assessor.  The  boundaries  of  the  blocks  so  numbered  are 
also  given: 


NUMBEE 
OF 

Block. 

BOTINDAET  BY    StBEETS. 

NUMBEB 
OP 

Bunks. 

87 

Broadway  Pacific  Kearny  and  Dupont 

163 

RR 

796 

89 
90 
91 

Jackson,  'Washington,  Kearny  and  Dupont 

Washington,  Clay,  Kearny  and  Dupont 

1,446 

976 

1,388 

92 

Sacramento   California,  Kearny  and  Dupont 

741 

110 
111 

Broadway,  Pacific,  Dupont  and  Stockton 

477 
1,989 

112 

2,828 

113 

Washington   Clay  Dupont  and  Stockton 

2,325 

114 

Clay   Sacramento,  Dupont  and  Stockton 

1,287 

115 

Sacramento,  California,  Dupont  and  Stockton 

Total  number  of  Bunks 

764 

15,180 

Not  only  have  your  Committee  found  that  the  rule  is  for 
two  persons  to  each  "bunk,"  and  relays  of  sleepers  through 
the  day  in  many,  if  not  most  instances,  but  women  and 
children  seem  also  to  be  stowed  away  in  every  available 
nook  and  corner,  without  reference  to  any  special  accommo- 
dation being  provided  for  them.  Taking,  therefore,  the  total 
number  of  "  bunks  "  and  multiplying  that  total  by  two,  must 
be  at  least  a  safe  minimum  estimate  of  the  population  in 


8  REPORT   OF   SPECIAL  COMMITTEE 

these  twelve  blocks,  with  every  probability  favoring  the  con- 
clusion that  an  addition  of  perhaps  twenty  per  cent, 
would  not  more  than  cover  the  real  number  of  Chinese 
inhabiting  that  locality. 

On  this  basis,  allowing  two  persons  to  a  "bunk,"  and 
adding  no  percentage  for  excess  from  any  of  the  foregoing 
reasons,  we  have  a  population  in  Chinatown  of  30,360.  And 
this,  your  Committee  believe,  is  the  lowest  possible  estimate 
that  can  fairly  be  made. 

Chinese  Women  and  Children. 

It  is  a  less  difficult  problem  to  ascertain  the  number  of 
Chinese  women  and  children  in  Chinatown  than  it  is  to  give 
with  accuracy  the  male  population.  First,  because  they  are 
at  present  comparatively  few  in  numbers;  and,  second, 
because  they  can  nearly  always  be  found  in  the  localities 
which  they  inhabit.  This  investigation  has  shown,  how- 
ever, that  whatever  may  be  the  domestic  family  relations  of 
the  Chinese  Empire,  here  the  relations  of  the  sexes  are 
chiefly  so  ordered  as  to  provide  for  the  gratification  of  the 
animal  proclivities  alone,  with  whatever  result  may  chance 
to  follow  in  the  outcome  of  procreation. 

There  are  apparently  in  Chinatown  but  few  families  living 
as  such,  with  legitimate  children.  In  most  instances  the 
wives  are  kept  in  a  state  of  seclusion,  carefully  guarded  and 
watched,  as  though  ' '  eternal  vigilance  "  on  the  part  of  their 
husband  "is  the  price  of  their  virtue."  Wherever  there  are 
families  belonging  to  the  better  class  of  the  Chinese,  the 
women  are  guarded  and  secluded  in  the  most  careful  man- 
ner.. Wherever  the  sex  has  been  found  in  the  pursuance  of 
this  investigation  under  other  conditions,  with  some  few 
exceptions,  the  rule  seems  to  be  that  they  are  here  in  a  state 
of  concubinage  merely  to  minister  to  the  animal  passions  of 
the  other  sex,  with  such  perpetuation  of  the  race  as  may  be 
a  resultant  consequence,  or  else  to  follow  the  admitted  calling 
of  the  prostitute,  generally  of  the  lowest  possible  grade,  with 


BOARD   OF   SUPEETISOES.  9 

all  the  wretchedness  of  life  and  consequence  which  the  name 
implies.  That  this  is  not  mere  idle  assertion,  the  following 
statement  of  the  number  of  women  and  children  found  in 
Chinatown  in  the  course  of  this  investigation,  and  which 
includes  probably  nearly  every  one  living  in  that  locality, 
will,  we  trust,  sufficiently  demonstrate: 


S:^:::::::l9     [LivlngasFammeB. 


™.  ,,pj     J  Herded  together -with  apparent  indiscriminate  parental 

vy  oi^en I  relations,  and  no  family  classification,  so  far  as  could 

C^"^^^^'^ ^^^     )  be  ascertained. 

Ohifdreii^^ ^87     [  Professional  prostitutes  and  children  living  together. 

Chinese  Prosiiiuiion. 

This  examination  has  led  to  the  foregoing  result  in  regard 
to  the  relation  of  the  sexes.  No  well-defined  family  relations 
have  been  discovered  other  than  as  shown,  while  the  next 
classification  seems  to  be  a  middle  stratum  between  family 
life  and  prostitution,  partaking  in  some  measure  of  each,  if 
such  a  condition  of  things  can  be  possible. 

The  most  revolting  feature  of  all,  however,  is  found  in 
the  fact  that  there  are  so  large  a  number  of  children  growing 
up  as  the  associates,  and  perhaps  the  proteges  of  the  pro- 
fessional prostitutes.  In  one  house,  alone,  on  Sullivan's  Alley, 
your  Committee  found  the  inmates  to  be  nineteen  prosti- 
tutes and  sixteen  children.  In  the  localities  habited  largely 
by  prostitutes,  women  and  children,  who  apparently  occupy 
this  intermediate  family  relationship  already  alluded  to,  live 
in  adjoining  apartments  and  intermingle  freely,  leading  to 
the  conclusion  that  prostitution  is  a  recognized  and  not 
immoral  calling  with  the  race,  and  that  it  is  impossible  to 
tell  by  a  survey  of  their  domestic  customs  where  the  family 
relationship  leaves  off  and  prostitution  begins. 

It  is  well,  perhaps,  for  your  Committee  at  this  point  to 
lay  before  you,  and  before  the  public,  all  that  they  propose 
to  say  in  this  report  upon  the  subject  of  Chinese  prostitution 


10  BEPORT   OF   SPECIAL   COMMITTEE 

here,  and  its  effects  upon  the  boys  growing  up  in  this  com- 
munity, and  then  to  dismiss  this  disgusting  branch  of  the 
subject.  Fortunately,  after  presenting  a  statement  of  the 
number  of  professional  prostitutes,  their  mode  of  life,  and 
the  district  which  they  inhabit,  as  shown  upon  the  accom- 
panying map,  all  the  other  points  are  covered  by  the 
evidence  elicited  by  the  Legislative  Committee  appointed  to 
investigate  the  Chinese  Immigration  question  in  1877,  from 
which  we  quote  as  follows : 

The  Eev.  Otis  Gibson  testified  before  this  Committee  that 
he  had  resided  in  China  ten  years,  and  had  seen  and  learned 
a  great  deal  about  Chinese  immigration.     He  said: 

''The  women,  as  a  general  thing,  are  slaves.  They  are 
'  bought  or  stolen  in  China  and  brought  here.  They  have 
'  a  sort  of  agreement  to  cover  up  the  slavery  business,  but 
'  it  is  all  a  sham.  The  paper  makes  the  girl  say  she  owes 
'  you  four  hundred  dollars  or  so,  passage  money  and  outfit 
'  from  China,  and  has  nothing  to  pay.  I,  being  the  girl, 
'  the  man  comes  up  and  offers  to  lend  me  the  money  to  pay 
'  you  if  I  will  agree  to  serve  him,  to  prostitute  my  body  at 
'  his  pleasure,  wherever  he  shall  put  me,  for  four,  five  or 
'  six  years.  For  that  promise  of  mine  made  on  the  paper, 
'  he  hands  him  the  four  hundred  dollars,  and  I  pay  the  debt 
'  I  owe  you  according  to  contract.  It  is  also  put  in  the 
'  contract  that  if  I  am  sick  fifteen  days  no  account  shall  be 
'  taken  of  that,  but  if  I  am  sick  more  than  that,  I  shall 
'  make  up  double.  If  I  am  found  to  be  pregnant  within  a 
'  month  you  shall  return  the  money  and  take  me  again." 

Alfred  Clarke,  Esq.,  Chief  Clerk  of  the  Police  Depart- 
ment, confirmed  the  testimony  of  Mr.  Gibson  as  to  the  man- 
ner in  which  these  Chinese  women  are  obtained  and  brought 
here.  He  submitted  a  paper  written  in  Chinese  characters, 
which,  translated,  reads  as  follows : 

"An  agreement  to  assist  the  woman  Ah  Ho,  because, 
coming  from  China  to  San  Francisco,  she  became  indebted  to 
her  mistress  for  passage.     Ah  Ho  herself  asks  Mr.  Tee  Kwan 


BOARD   OF    SUPEEYISORS.  11 

to  advance  for  lier  six  hundred  and  thirty  dollars,  for  which 
Ah  Ho  distinctly  agrees  to  give  her  body  to  Mr.  Tee  for 
service  of  prostitution  for  a  term  of  four  years.  There  shall 
be  no  interest  on  the  money.  Ah  Ho  shall  receive  no  wages. 
At  the  expiration  of  four  years  Ah  Ho  shall  be  her  own 
master.  Mr.  Yee  Kwan  shall  not  hinder  or  trouble  her.  If 
Ah  Ho  runs  away  before  the  time  is  out,  her  mistress  shall 
find  her  and  return  her,  and  whatever  expense  is  incurred  in 
finding  and  returning  her  Ah  Ho  shall  pay.  On  this  day  of 
agreement  Ah  Ho,  with  her  own  hands,  has  received  from 
Mr  Yee  Kwan  six  hundred  and  thirty  dollars.  If  Ah  Ho 
shall  be  sick  at  any  time  for  more  than  ten  days,  she  shall 
make  up  by  an  extra  month  of  service  for  every  ten  days' 
sickness.  Now  this  agreement  has  proof:  this  paper 
received  by  Ah  Ho  is  witness. 

"Tung  Ghee. 

' '  Twelfth  year,  ninth  month  and  fourteenth  day."   (About 
the  middle  of  October,  1873.) 

And,  again,  Mr.  Clarke  produced  a  second  similar  paper, 
which,  translated,  reads  as  follows: 

"AN  AGREEMENT   TO  ASSIST  A  YOUNG  GIRL  NAMED   LOI' YAU." 

"Because  she  became  indebted  to  her  mistress  for  pass- 

*  age,  food,  etc.,  and  has  nothing  to  pay,  she  makes  her 
'  body  over  to  the  woman  Sep  Sam,  to  serve  as  a  prostitute 

*  to  make  out  the  sum  of  five  hundred  and  three  dollars. 
'  The  money  shall  draw  no  interest,  and  Loi  Yau  shall  serve 
'  four  and  one-half  years.  On  this  day  of  agreement  Loi 
'  Yau  receives  the  sum  of  five  hundred  and  three  dollars  in 
'  her  own  hands.     Y/lieu  the  time  is  out  Loi  Yau  may  be 

*  her  own  master,  and  no  man  shall  trouble  her .  If  she 
'  runs  away  before  the  time  is  out,  and  any  expense  is 
'  incurred  in  catching  her,  then  Loi  Yau  must  pay  the 
'  expense.     If  she  is  sick  fifteen  days,  or  more,  she  shall 

*  make  up  one  month  for  every  fifteen  days.  If  Sep  Sam 
'  shall  go  back  to  China,  then  Loi  Yau  shall  serve  another 
'  party  until  the  time  is  out:  if  in  such  service  she  should 


12  KEPOKT   OF   SPECIAL   COMMITTEE 

**  be  sick  one  hundred  days  or  more,  and  cannot  be  cured, 
"  she  may  return  to  Sep  Sam's  place.  For  a  proof  of  this 
"  agreement  this  jjaper.  "  Loi  Yau. 

"  Dated  second,  sixth  month,  of  the  present  year. " 

Mr.  Clarke  testified  that  prostitution  is  carried  on  here 
under  just  such  contracts  as  these,  and  that  the  last  one  was 
taken  from  a  Chinawoman  who  had  been  brought  in.  He 
further  testified  that  when  one  of  these  women  escapes  she 
is  followed  and  taken  back  by  her  owners.  "If  they  fail 
*'  they  generally  have  her  arrested  for  larceny,  and  getposses- 
"  sion  in  that  way.  They  use  the  processes  of  our  Courts  to 
'*  keep  these  women  in  a  state  of  slavery.  When  they  become 
"  sick  and  helpless  there  are  instances  where  they  have  been 
"  turned  out  to  die.  The  bones  of  the  women  are  not  re- 
*'  turned  to  China  as  are  the  bones  of  the  men." 

James  R.  Rogers  testified  that  he  had  been  special  police 
officer  in  the  Chinese  quarter  four  or  five  years;  that  the 
prostitutes  "  are  held  as  slaves,  bought  and  sold.  They  are 
"  held  as  prostitutes,  aud  are  obliged,  by  what  they  call  their 
"  mother,  the  head  woman  or  boss  of  the  institution,  to 
"  stand  at  the  windows  and  doors  and  solicit  prostitution. 
"  Most  of  the  Chinese  houses  of  prostitution  are  patronized 
'*  by  whites — by  j^oung  men  and  old  ones.  I  have  taken 
"  boys  of  not  more  than  ten  or  twelve  years  of  age  from  out 
"  of  these  houses.  The  schedule  of  prices  is  such  that  boys 
"  can  afford  to  go  there  and  patronize  them." 

Dr.  Toland  testified  that  he  was  the  founder  of  the 
*'  Toland  Medical  College,"  and  a  member  of  the  Board  of 
Health.  "He  had  seen  boys  eight  and  ten  years  old  with 
"  diseases  they  told  me  they  had  contracted  on  Jackson 
"  street.  It  is  astonishing  how  soon  they  commence  in- 
"  dulging  in  that  passion.  Some  of  the  worst  cases  of 
"  syphilis  I  have  ever  seen  in  my  life  occur  in  children  not 
"  more  than  ten  or  twelve  years  old.  They  generall}'  try  to 
"  conceal  their  condition  from  the  parents.     They  come  to 


BOAKD   OF   SUPERVISORS.  13 

"  me,  and  I  help  to  screen  it  from  their  parents,  and  cure 
"  them  without  compensation.  Sometimes  parents,  unaware 
"  of  what  is  the  matter,  bring  their  boys  to  me,  and  I  do  all 
"  I  can  to  keep  the  truth  from  them." 

Asked  what  effect  it  must  have  upon  this  community 
if  these  Chinese  prostitutes  are  allowed  to  remain  in  the 
country,  he  said:  "  It  will  fill  our  hospitals  with  invalids, 
' '  and  I  think  it  would  be  a  very  great  relief  to  the  younger 
"  portion  of  the  community  to  get  rid  of  them." 

Asked  to  what  extent  these  diseases  come  from  Chinese 
prostitutes,  Dr.  Toland  said:  "I  suppose  nine-tenths. 
"  When  these  persons  come  to  me  I  ask  them  where  they  got 
"  the  disease,  and  they  generally  tell  me  that  they  have  been 
"  with  Chinawomen  They  think  diseases  contracted  from 
' '  Chinawomen  are  harder  to  cure  than  those  contracted  else- 
"  where,  so  they  tell  me  as  a  matter  of  self-protection.  I  am 
"  satisfied,  from  my  experience,  that  nearly  all  the  boys  in 
"  town  who  have  venereal  disease,  contracted  it  in  Chinatown. 
"  They  have  no  dijSiculty  there,  for  the  prices  are  so  low  they 
"  can  go  whenever  they  please."  He  had  never  heard  or 
read  of  any  country  in  the  world  where  there  are  so  many 
children  diseased  as  there  are  in  San  Francisco.  And, 
further,  that  "it  is  a  most  frightful  condition  of  things." 
"  Generally  they  are  improperly  treated,  and  syphilis  or  gon- 
"  orrhoearuDS  on  from  week  to  week,  until  stricture  results, 
"  and  that  is  almost  as  bad  as  constitutional  syphilis,  because 
*'  it  requires  a  long  time  to  cure  it." 

Dr.  J.  C.  Shorb  testified  that  he  was  a  physician  and 
surgeon,  and  a  graduate  from  the  University  of  Pennsylvania. 
He  said : 

' '  The  presence  of  Chinese  women  here  has  made  prosti- 
*'  tution  excessively  cheap,  and  it  has  given  these  boys  an 
*'  opportunity  to  gratify  themselves  at  very  slight  cost. 

* '  I  have  had  boys  from  twelve  years  up  to  eighteen  and 
**  nineteen — any  number  of  them — afflicted  with  syphilis  con- 


14  KEPORT   OF   SPECIAL  COMMITTEE 

*'  tracted  from  Chinese  prostitutes.  The  extent  of  the  evil  is 
"  very  general,  and  I  suppose  my  experience  must  be  the 
"  experience  of  all  the  physicians  in  San  Francisco  in  full 
"  practice." 

There  is  a  mountain  of  testimony  of  a  similar  nature,  all 
of  which  might  properly  be  quoted  here;  but  it  would  be 
simply  cumulative,  and  your  Committee  do  not  consider  it 
necessary  to  go  into  it  further.  We  have  shown  that  Chinese 
prostitution  exists  among  us  as  the  basis  of  the  most  abject 
and  Satanic  conception  of  human  slavery.  That  it  is  con- 
ducted upon  the  most  inhuman  principles.  That  our  own 
laws  are  successfully  invoked  to  shield,  protect  and  foster  it. 
That  it  is  the  source  of  the  most  terrible  pollution  of  the 
blood  of  the  younger  and  rising  generations  among  us,  and 
that  it  is  destined  to  be  the  source  of  contamination  and 
hereditary  diseases  among  those  who  are  to  come  after  us 
too  frightful  to  contemplate,  and,  possibly,  already  too 
strongly  entrenched  as  an  evil  to  be  successfully  modified, 
much  less  eradicated. 

We  do  not  desire  to  arouse  any  undue  public  excitement 
or  indignation  on  this  subject;  but  our  duty  is  to  state  the 
facts  as  they  exist,  and  yours  to  exercise  all  the  cool  and 
deliberate  judgment  that  can  be  brought  to  bear  upon  it,  in 
a  calm  and  thorough  search  for  the  best  remedy  that  can  at 
present  be  applied,  or  the  wisest  action  that  can  be  taken  in 
dealing  with  this  branch  of  the  Chinese  question. 

White   Prostiiuiion   in    Chinatown. 

The  investigations  which  have  been  carried  on  by  your 
Committee  have  developed  another  disgusting  and  surprising 
feature.  It  is  in  reference  to  white  prostitution  in  that  local- 
ity. The  map  accompanying  this  report  shows  in  what  sec- 
tions and  to  what  extent  of  area  white  prostitution  exists  in 
Chinatown.  The  number  of  degraded  women  who  ply  this 
vocation  there  is  unknown.     But  the  point  that  will  impress 


BOAED   OF   SUPEEVISOES.  15 

itself  more  strongly  upon  the  ordinary  mind  is  that  these 
women  obtain  their  patronage  almost  entirely  from  the 
Chinese  themselves.  Their  habitations  seem  to  have  been 
taken  up  in  the  Chinese  quarter  solely  for  this  purpose,  and 
their  mode  of  life  seems  to  be  modeled  after  that  of  the  Mon- 
golian, to  a  larger  extent  than  after  the  manners  and  customs 
of  the  race  to  which  they  belong. 

Many,  if  not  most  of  them,  confirmed  victims  to  the 
opium  habit  in  one  form  or  another,  they  present  pictures  of 
pallid  wretchedness  hard  to  parallel  in  any  community  where 
total  depravity  rules  supreme,  and  their  sex  sinks  to  the 
lowest  point  of  human  degradation.  The  Chinese  drug  and 
opium  stores  at  night  usually  contain  numbers  of  these 
wretched  beings  seeking  opium  or  medicaments  for  the 
physical  diseases  to  which  they  are  constantly  subjected; 
and  more  wan,  sad,  hopeless  and  wretched-looking  faces  the 
human  eye  seldom  encounters  in  the  streets  or  slums  of 
the  most  populous  cities  of  the  world. 

This  is  a  feature  of  prostitution  in  Chinatown  with 
which  it  is  difficult  and  perhaps  impossible  to  deal.  Your 
Committee  can  only  point  out  the  conditions  under  which  it 
exists  as  one  of  the  numerous  evils  which  attach  to  and  grow 
out  of  the  presence  of  the  Chinese  among  us.  It  is  one  of 
the  many  counts  in  the  indictment  against  the  race,  and  upon 
which  we  hold  them  up  for  trial  before  the  public  opinion 
of  our  country,  from  which  we  bespeak  a  just  and  wise  ver- 
dict. For  the  poor,  wretched  woman  who  enters  this  par- 
ticular walk  of  life  there  need  be  no  punishment  other  than 
her  own  miseries;  no  word  of  reproach,  but  all  our  pity. 
Xiet  her  "who  enters  here  leave  hope  behind." 

White    Women   Living    With    C/iinamen. 

Another  surprising  as  well  as  disgusting  feature  de- 
veloped in  this  investigation  is  the  fact  that  there  are 
numerous  instances  of  white  women  living  and  cohabiting 
with  Chinamen  in  the  relation  of  wives   or  mistresses.     In 


16  EEPORT   OF   SPECIAL   COMMITTEE 

one  instance  where  an  example  of  this  was  found,  there  was 
one  white  woman  living  among  a  large  number  of  Chinese 
women  and  children — the  mistress  of  one  or  more  of  "the 
little  brown  men" — who,  when  the  place  was  visited  by  the 
surveyors  employed  by  your  Committee,  roundly  berated 
them  for  thus  invading  the  citadel  of  their  domestic  rights, 
and  threatened  various  modes  of  punishment  therefor.  In 
one  instance  a  Chinaman  had  assumed  marital  relations  with 
a  fair  widow  with  several  children  by  a  Caucasian  husband. 

Instances  of  these  examples  of  ' '  assimilation"  of  the  two 
races  are  as  follows : 

At  No.  900  and  902  Dupont  street,  one  white  woman  living 
with  a  Chinaman  on  the  third  floor;  at  613  Jackson  street, 
second  floor;  at  708  Commercial  street,  second  story;  at  708 
Commercial  street,  third  story;  at  710  Commercial  street, 
third  story;  at  718  Commercial  street,  second  story.  There 
are  in  each  of  the  foregoing  one  white  woman  and  one  China- 
man living  together.  At  740  Commercial  street,  second 
story,  and  at  916J  Stockton  street,  there  are  two  white 
women  in  each  place  living  with  Chinamen. 

Evasions    and  Defiance   of  l]^unicipal  Laws. 

There  is  hardly  a  phase  of  life  in  Chinatown  that  does 
not  furnish  a  striking  example  of  constant  violation  of  mu- 
nicipal laws.  It  may  almost  be  said  that  the  whole  Chinese 
community  exists  in  open  defiance  of  the  law,  and,  as  a  mat- 
ter susceptible  of  clear  demonstration,  they  are  at  present, 
and  long  have  been,  stronger  than  the  law,  (as  it  is  admin- 
istered), to  which  we  of  other  races  are  sternly  held  amena- 
ble. It  becomes  necessary  for  your  Committee  to  prove  the 
affirmative  of  this  proposition,  and,  once  proved,  it  invites 
discussion  of  this  proposition,  viz:  If  a  race  constituting 
one-seventh,  say,  of  the  entire  population  of  San  Francisco 
is  able  to  successfully  violate  and  defy  the  local  laws  to 
which  the  remaining  six-sevenths  are  held  amenable,  what 
will  be  the  effect  when  the  ratio  of  the  same  race  shall  have 


BOABD   OF   SUPERYISORS.  17 

increased  until  it  becomes  numerically  stronger,  as  it  assur- 
edly will  be  if  Chinese  immigration  is  not  finally  and  perma- 
nently restricted? 

Your  Committee  do  not  admit,  however,  that  the  present 
percentage  of  Chinese  in  our  midst  are  stronger  than  the  law, 
if  the  authorities,  whose  duty  it  is  to  administer  the  law,  are 
equal  to  the  occasion,  and  are  furnished  the  necessary  means 
and  men  to  enforce  it.  As  the  case  stands  at  present,  the 
facts  show  that  there  is  constant  violation  of  the  law^,  with- 
out any  effectual  attempt  to  enforce  its  penalties,  and  it  will 
become  the  duty  of  this  Board,  when  the  facts  are  placed 
before  them,  to  endeavor  to  change  the  existing  practice  by 
the  enactment  of  such  municipal  laws  as  may  be  necessary 
to  restrict  present  abuses,  and  to  see  that  existing  ordinances 
are  enforced  for  the  accomplishment  of  like  purposes.  To 
assume  that  our  local  laws  cannot  be  effectually  enforced  in 
the  case  of  the  Chinese  is  to  admit  that  that  race,  which  we 
so  heartily  despise,  is  stronger  than  we  are,  and  to  abandon 
the  principles  for  which  we  are  contending. 

Violations   of  Sanitary  Laws   in   Chinatown. 

In  a  sanitary  point  of  view  Chinatown  presents  a  sin- 
gular anomaly.  With  the  habits,  manners,  customs  and 
whole  economy  of  life  violating  every  accepted  rule  of 
hygiene;  with  open  cess-pools,  exhalations  from  water- 
closets,  sinks,  urinals  and  sewers  tainting  the  atmosphere 
with  noxious  vapors  and  stifling  odors;  with  people  herded 
and  packed  in  damp  cellars,  living  literally  the  life  of  ver- 
min, badly  fed  and  clothed,  addicted  to  the  daily  use  of 
opium  to  the  extent  that  many  hours  of  each  day  or  night  are 
passed  in  the  delirious  stupefaction  of  its  influence,  it  is  not 
to  be  denied  that,  as  a  whole,  the  general  health  of  this 
locality  compares  more  than  favorably  with  other  sections  of 
the  city  which  are  surrounded  by  far  more  favorable  condi- 
tions. 


18  EEPORT   OF  SPECIAL  COMMITTEE 

It  seems  impossible  to  account  for  this  condition  of 
things  upon  any  other  theory  than  that  of  the  constant  fumi- 
gation to  which  Chinatown  is  subjected,  as  has  already  been 
suggested  in  this  report.  Open  wood  fires  from  cellar  to 
attic,  cigars,  tobacco  and  opium  pipes,  all  contribute  hourly 
clouds  of  smoke  to  the  fumigation  process,  and  probably 
prevent  the  generation  and  spread  of  zymotic  diseases  that 
otherwise  could  scarcely  fail  to  rapidly  decimate  the  Chinese 
population  of  San  Francisco,  and  effectually  adjust  the  Chi- 
nese Immigration  question  without  the  aid  of  treaty  or  Con- 
gressional intervention.  These  preventive  influences  can 
never  be  a  sufficient  guard  against  cholera  or  any  other  like 
visitation,  however,  and  are  not  and  cannot  be  sufficient  to 
justify  the  municipal  authorities  in  tolerating  the  unclean 
mode  of  life  that  prevails  in  Chinatown.  This  mode  of  life 
must  always  make  this  locality  a  threatening  source  of  pesti- 
lential danger  to  the  community  at  large  whenever  pestilence 
comes  in  any  form,  borne  upon  the  wings  of  the  wind,  or 
stealing  in  "like  a  thief  in  the  night,"  by  any  other  of  the 
mysterious  pathways  which  it  too  often  thrids  so  silently, 
without  warning  of  its  approach,  until  it  is  upon  us  with  its 
deadly  influences. 

Dr.  A.  L.  Gibson,  Medical  Director  of  the  United  States 
Navy,  and  a  man  who  ranks  high  in  his  profession,  says 
upon  this  point : 

"  Where  there  are  fresh  air  and  dryness  and  cleanliness 
there  can  be  no  cholera;  and  where  there  are  not  it  will 
come  in  spite  of  proclamations  and  perfunctory  quarantines. 
Fumigations  anfl  disinfT-ct'.ciiS  which  mask  putrescence  and 
substitute  medicinal  smells  for  sickening  stenches  are  as 
ridiciuous  as  the  noise  of  gongs  and  tom-toms,  and  explod- 
ing fire-crackers  and  gingals,  by  which  the  Chinaman  hopes 
to  frighten  the  devils  who  desolate  his  home  and  country, 
and  worse  than  useless  from  the  false  sense  of  security 
which  they  give." 

It  is  not  wise  nor  is  it  the  intention  of  your  Committee  to 
excit«  undue  apprehension  in  the  public  mind   upon  this 


BOAED   OF   SUPERVISOES.  19 

subject.  But  it  is  both  wise  and  a  matter  of  public  duty 
that  the  true  condition  of  things  should  be  known,  in  order 
that  unseen  but  possible  dangers  may  be  guarded-  against  so 
far  as  it  may  be  in  our  power  to  do  so.  With  this  end  in 
view  we  invite  attention  to  the  following  facts : 

The  frequent  custom  with  this  people  is  to  have  the  brick 
and  mortar  bench  where  cooking  is  carried  on,  the  sink, 
always  more  or  less  filthy,  and  an  open,  filthy,  bad-smelling 
water-closet,  all  adjoining  each  other  in  the  same  room,  or 
under  the  same  cover.  Frequently  a  space  at  the  end  of  this 
cooking  range — if  we  may  call  it  so — is  used  as  a  urinal,  the 
only  outlet  from  which  is  the  absorption  of  and  seepage 
through  some  earth  placed  there  for  that  purpose,  while  the 
intermingling  odors  of  cooking,  sink,  water-closet  and 
urinal,  added  to  the  fumes  of  opium  and  tobacco  smoke  and 
the  indescribable,  unknowable,  all-pervading  atmosphere  of 
the  Chinese  quarter,  make  up  a  perfume  which  can  neither 
be  imagined  nor  described.  This  is  no  exaggeration,  nor  is 
it  a  fancy  sketch.  It  is  one  of  the  common  features  of  life  in 
Chinatown. 

The  details  of  the  survey,  which  will  be  filed  with  this 
report,  will  furnish  all  the  data  that  will  be  necessary  to  sat- 
isfy the  most  skeptical  on  this  point;  but,  what  is  far  better, 
will  be  a  visit  to  Chinatown  itself  and  to  the  habitations 
themselves,  where  such  ocular  and  olfactory  proofs  as  will 
present  themselves  to  the  visitor  will  leave  no  more  to  be 
added. 

The  municipal  laws  intended  to  protect  the  sanitary  wel- 
fare of  the  city,  among  other  things,  provide  as  follows : 

ORDER  1,587. 
[Privy-vaults,  Drains,  etc. .to  be  Connected  with  Street  Sewers,  and  Traps  Constructed.] 

Section  4.  No  person  shall  construct  or  maintain,  or  sufler  to  be  or  re- 
main upon  his  or  her  premises,  or  prtmises  under  his  or  her  control,  any 
privy,  or  [irivy-vault,  cesspool,  sink  or  d  aiu,  without  connecting  the  same  by 
means  of  cement,  iron-stone  or  irun-p5pe,  with  the  street  sewer,  in  such  a 
manner  that  it  shall  bo  eflfectuaily  diained  aiid  puiified,  if  there  be  a  si  werin 
the  street  on  which  said  premises  may  Le  situated  with  which  the  samo  can 
be  connected.     Every   drain  or  branch   sewer  herealter  constructed  which 


20  REPORT   OF   SPECIAL  COMMITTj<;E 

shall  connect  with  a  dwelling-house  or  buildiug,  or  with  any  privy,  privy- 
vault  or  cesspool,  ^shall  be  constructed  of  cement,  iron-stone  or  iron,  and  be 
provided  with  some  apparatus  or  means  by  which  such  drain  or  branch  sewer 
may  be  ejBfectually  flushed  and  cleansed;  and  shall  also  be  provided  with  a 
trap  or  apparatus  which  will  eflfectnally  prevent  the  escape  of  gases  from  the 
sewer  into  such  dwelling-house,  building,  privy,  privy-vault  or  cesspool, 
which  trap  or  apparatus  shall,  in  all  cases,  when  practicable,  be  placed  under 
the  sidewalk  and  be  so  constructed  and  placed  that  it  can  be  readily  and  con- 
veniently examined  and  inspected.  (As  amended  March  30,  1882,  by  Order 
No.  1,666.) 

[Privy-vaults,  Construction  of.] 

Section  5.  No  person  shall  construct,  without  the  consent  in  writing  of 
the  Health  Officer,  any  privy-vault  on  jiremises  belonging  to  him  or  tinder 
Ms  control,  unless  the  walls  and  bottom  of  such  vaixlt  be  of  stone  or  brick, 
laid  in  cement,  and  at  least  eight  inches  in  thickness. 

[Privies,  etc.,  when  Foul  or  Offensive,  a  Nuisance.] 

Section  6.  No  person  shall  suffer  or  permit  any  premises  belonging  to 
or  occupied  by  him,  or  any  cellar,  vault,  privy,  pool,  sewer  or  private  drain 
thereon  or  therein,  to  become  nauseous,  foul  or  offensive,  and  prejudicial  to 
public  health  or  public  comfort. 

One  of  tlie  most  importaBt  points  developed  in  the  whole 
course  of  this  investigation  is  the  flagrant  violation  of  the 
sections  of  Order  1,587,  above  quoted,  which  is  con;jtantly 
carried  on  in  Chinatown,  for  which  a  radical  remedy  should 
be  found,  and  for  which  property-owners  themselves  should 
be  held  responsible.  There  is,  and  can  be,  no  possible  ex- 
cuse for  these  violations  of  the  law.  It  involves  the  public 
health  and  public  safety,  and  calls  for  immediate  remedial 
action. 

The  instances  where  the  water-closets,  sinks,  etc.,  dis- 
charge into  open  cesspools,  and  where  there  are  other  viola- 
tions of  the  sections  quoted,  are  more  than  numerous. 
Some  few  examples  may  be  pointed  out  by  way  of  illustra- 
tion: 719  Sacramento  street,  water-closet  and  cesspool  in 
rear;  823  Sacramento  street,  open  cesspool  in  basement.  In 
,  Oneida  Place  every  second  house  has  a  sink  and  hopper 
running  down  to  open  bos  below  and  connected  with  sewer 
in  center  of  court.  Sewerage  in  rear  of  court,  into  which 
water-closets  and  sinks  empty,  is  in  center  of  court  in  box, 
and  is  open  in  several  places. 

In  the  building  on  Jackson  street,  sometimes  called 
"  The  Palace  Hotel,"   and  occupied  by  about  400  people, 


BOAKD   OF    SUPERVISOES.  21 

there  are  four  water-closets  iu  tlie  center  of  the  court  on 
each  of  the  floors,  all  running  together  beloTV  in  one  common 
cesspool,  all  open  with  no  trap,  and  all  in  a  horribly  filthy 
condition. 

At  616  Dupont  street,  open  cesspool  in  sub-basement 
under  air-shaft,  used  as  a  urinal  and  receptacle  for  all  the 
slops  of  the  building.     The  same  at  614|  Dupont  street. 

At  646  Pacific  street  there  is  "a  public  water-closet  in 
the  hall  for  the  building  and  rear."  The  whole  rear  and 
hall  is  very  filthy,  open  sewerage  running  across  the  north 
end,  seething  up  through  the  ground,  extending  through  the 
hall  to  Pacific  street. 

In  the  basement  on  the  east  side  of  Bartlett  Alley,  in 
what  is  known  as  the  Dog  Kennel,  filth  and  its  accompanying 
stenches  reign  supreme.  A  blind  woman  and  several  dogs 
and  cats  live  in  the  kennel  in  a  state  of  wretched  squalor 
that  baffles  description,  while  the  rear  space  is  occupied  by 
water-closets  without  traps,  leading  into  what  receptacle  no 
one  knows,  the  whole  area  and  surroundings  being  wet, 
mouldy  and  rotten.  The  lowest  grade  of  prostitution  guards 
the  entrance  to  this  den  on  either  side,  and  the  hideous 
visages  that  peer  through  the  wickets  help  to  add  to  the 
general  aspect  of  degradation  and  misery  that  reigns  below. 

The  basement  of  the  next  building  adjoining  is  a  twin 
specimen  in  filth  and  methods  of  violation  of  the  sanitary 
regulations  which  we  have  quoted. 

At  714  Jackson  street,  in  the  basement,  occupied  by  seven 
Chinese  prostitutes  and  two  children,  there  are  no  water- 
closets,  and  the  slops  and  filth  generated  in  this  under, 
ground  slum  are  flung  into  the  street  as  an  extra  generous 
contribution  to  the  rotting  garbage  that  daily  accumulates 
there,  or  disposed  of  in  other  ways  unknown  to  your  Com- 
mittee. 


22  EEPOET    OF   SPECIAL   COMMITTEE 

At  727  Pacific  street  there  is  a  laundry  on  tlie  first  floor. 
The  kitclien  is  in  the  court.  An  open  hopper  at  the  north 
end  is  the  common  receptacle  for  slops  and  the  water-closets 
besides,  and  is  very  filthy  and  nauseating. 

At  No.  8,  west  side  of  Sullivan's  Alley,  there  are  several 
kitchens  and  water-closets  with  open  hoppers,  all  without 
separating  partitions,  and  the  latter  all  open  to  the  cesspools 
or  sewers  into  which  they  lead.  The  foul  odors  that  they 
exhale  mingle  with  the  Mongolian  messes  that  simmer  upon 
the  adjoining  cooking  device,  nauseating  the  visitor  but 
apparently  adding  zest  to  the  appetite  of  the  Celestials  who 
eat,  drink  and  sleep  there. 

At  707  Pacific  street  there  is  a  room  in  the  rear  on  Sul- 
livan's Alley,  with  urinal,  kitchen  and  water-closet  all  to- 
gether for  the  building  covering  711,  707  and  705  Pacific 
street,  and  1031,  1027,  1025  and  1023  Dupont  street.  To 
say  that  it  is  filthy  does  not  convey  an  idea  of  its  condition. 
To  say  that  its  condition  and  arrangement  openly  violate  the 
law  is  all  that  we  need  to  barthen  you  with  in  this  report. 
The  same  arrangement  and  condition  of  things  exists  in  the 
upper  floor  of  the  same  building. 

At  808  and  812  Clay  street  there  are  repetitions  of 
kitchens,  water-closets  and  filth,  open  from  cesspool  or 
sewer,  to  the  rooms  in  which  they  are  located,  and  all  sub- 
ject to  the  same  comment  and  description  already  given. 

At  616  and  614|  Dupont  street  there  are  open  cesspools, 
water-closets  and  sinks,  and  at  hundreds  of  other  localities 
similar  conditions  exist.  Briefly,  there  are  filth  and  filthy 
conditions  everywhere,  violations  of  the  ordinance  we  have 
quoted  everywhere,  realizations  and  revelations  everywhere 
of  a  distinct  definition  of  the  term  "Chinese  stink-pots," 
that  differ,  perhaps,  from  the  heretofore  commonly-accepted 
meaning  of  the  term,  but  are  none  the  less  tangible  as  such 
new  definition — all-pervading,  though  we  may  not  see,  feel 


BOARD    OF   SUPERVISOES.  23 

or   hear   them,    but   overwhelmingly  apparent  through  the 
medium  of  the  remaining  senses  of  taste  and  smell. 

Some-day,  when  Pestilence  shall  fold  her  black  wings  and 
alight  among  us  to  gorge  her  lust  for  death,  there  will  be 
such  other  tangible  evidences  of  the  dire  influences  that  will 
grow  out  of  this  condition  of  things  as  will  appeal  in  un- 
answerable anguish  to  our  hearts  as  well  as  our  senses,  and 
lead  to  vain  regrets  that  we  have  not  long  ago  enforced  the 
laws  and  corrected  this  terrible  evil. 

"  The    Cubic    Air   Ordinance." 

It  is  not  too  sweeping  a  declaration  to  make  to  say  that 
there  is  scarcely  a  habitation  in  Chinatown  in  which  the  so- 
called  "Cubic  Air  Ordinance"  is  not  constantly  violated. 
This  constant  and  habitual  violation  of  the  municipal  regu- 
lation illustrates  in  the  most  forcible  manner  the  truth  of 
the  assertion  which  we  have  already  made,  that  the  habits 
and  mode  of  life  among  the  Chinese  here  are  not  much 
above  "  those  of  the  rats  of  the  water  front." 

It  is  not  the  desire  or  intention  of  your  Committee  to 
present  any  extreme  case  selected  from  any  particular  local- 
ity, to  illustrate  any  feature  of  the  peculiarities  of  Mongo" 
lian  life  in  Chinatown,  but  rather  to  convey  to  the  Board 
and  to  the  public,  as  far  as  it  is  possible  to  do  so,  a  fair 
idea  of  the  condition  of  things  in  that  locality,  and  a  gene- 
ral comprehension  of  the  mode  of  life  of  this  class  of  our 
population 

Herewith  we  present  some  instances  illustrating  the  ordi- 
nary habits  of  the  Chinese  laboring  classes  in  the  matter  of 
sleeping  and  living  accommodations.  They  are  given  as  fur- 
nishing a  fair  average  example,  so  far  as  we  have  been  able 
to  ascertain,  of  the  disregard  in  which  the  so-called  "  Cubic 
Air  Ordinance  "  is  held  by  the  Chinese,  and  as  possibly 
illustrating  the  hopelessness  of  attempting  to  enforce  it — 
a  point  which  will  be  discussed  later: 


24 


REPOET   OF   SPECIAL   COMMITTEE 


Stbeet. 

Number. 

Floob. 

Number  of 
occupants 
allowed 
under  the 
Cubic  Air 
law. 

Number  of 

actual 
occupants. 

Dupont 

814% 
817 

Sub  Basement 

Basement 

9 
21 
7 
26 
34 
6 
16 
6 
31 
4 
3 
3 
2 
3 
3 
4 
6 
3 
3 
3 
10 
4 
8 
8 
6 
7 
4 
2 
3 
5 

32 
70 

,< 

First  Floor 

Second  Floor 

Third  Floor 

Basement 

46 

<< 

60 

.< 

68 

Sacramento 

24 

Bar tlett  Alley 

Basement 

68 

Oneida  Place 

First  Floor. .    

10  rooms,  1st  floor. 

First  Floor 

Basement. . .   

14 
94 

Brooklyn  Place. . . 
Jackson  

624 

628 
632 

620 
622 

615 
737 
735 
733 
9 

767 

804 
809 
812 

24 
5 

14 

a 

First  Floor 

Basement 

6 

16 
14 

« 

20 

<i 

First  Story 

Basement 

Second  Story 

Basement 

30 

(1 

6 

<< 

16 

Washington 

<< 

8 
34 

Brenham  Place 

Clay 

Second  Story 

Third        '■     

Fourth      "     

Second      "     

Basement 

Second  Story 

12 
24 
18 
22 
22 
12 

« 

8 

<■ 

20 

<( 

16 

Tliis  may  be  taken  as  a  fair  type  of  the  common  manner 
of  life  in  Chinatown  among  the  ordinary  laboring  classes. 
There  are  places  much  more  densely  crowded,  and  some  not 
as  densely  crowded.  But  this  represents  the  prevailing 
rule,  and  the  other  extreme  (about  equally  divided),  the  ex- 
ception. 


BOARD    OF   SDPEEVISOES.  25 

The  atmospliere  at  night  in  these  crowded  dens — many  of 
which,  it  will  be  seen,  are  in  cellars — when  the  occupants 
are  in  possession,  is  something  indescribably  horrible; 
especially  when  vitiated  by  the  smoke  of  opium  and  tobacco, 
the  effluvia  from  surrounding  filth,  and  the  exhalations  from 
the  bodies  of  the  Celestials  who  inhabit  them. 

Descend  into  the  basement  of  almost  any  building  in 
Chinatown  at  night  ;  pick  your  way  by  the  aid  of  the  police- 
man's candle  along  the  dark  and  narrow  passageway,  black 
and  grimy  with  a  quarter  of  a  century's  accumulation  of 
filth  ;  step  with  care  lest  you  fall  into  a  cesspool  of  sewage 
abominations  with  which  th^e  subterranean  depths  abound. 
Now  follow  your  guide  through  a  door,  which  he  forces,  into 
a  sleeping-room.  The  air  is  thick  with  smoke  and  fetid 
with  an  indescribable  odor  of  reeking  vapors.  The  atmos- 
phere is  tangible.  Tangible — if  we  may  be  licensed  to  so 
use  the  word  in  this  instance — to  four  out  of  the  five  human 
senses.  Tangible  to  the  sight,  tangible  to  the  touch,  tangi- 
ble to  the  taste,  and,  oh,  how  tangible  to  the  smell  !  Tou 
may  even  hear  it  as  the  opium-smoker  sucks  it  through  his 
pipe  bowl  into  his  tainted  lungs,  and  you  breathe  it  yourself 
as  if  it  were  of  the  substance  and  tenacity  of  tar.  It  is  a 
sense  of  a  horror  you  have  never  before  experienced,  revolt- 
ing to  the  last  degree,  sickening  and  stupefying.  Through 
this  semi-opaque  atmosphere  you  discover  perhaps  eight  or 
ten — never  less  than  two  or  three — bunks,  the  greater  part 
or  all  of  which  are  occupied  by  two  persons,  some  in  a  state 
of  stupefaction  from  opium,  some  rapidly  smoking  them- 
selves into  that  condition,  and  all  in  dirt  and  filth.  Before 
the  door  was  opened  for  your  entrance  every  aperture  was 
closed,  and  here,  had  they  not  been  thus  rudely  disturbed, 
they  would  have  slept  in  the  dense  and  poisonous  atmos- 
phere until  morning,  proof  against  the  baneful  effects  of  the 
carbonic  acid  gas  generated  by  this  human  defiance  of  chem- 
ical laws,  and  proof  against  all  the  zymotic  poisons  that 
would  be  fatal  to  a  people  of  any  other  race  in  an  hour  of 
such  surroundings  and  such  conditions. 


26  REPORT  OP  SPECIAL   COMMITTEE 

It  is  from  such  pest-holes  as  these  that  the  Chinese  cooks 
and  servants  who  are  employed  in  our  houses  come.  Cleanly 
though  they  may  be,  in  appearance,  while  acting  in  the 
capacity  of  domestic  servants,  they  are  nevertheless  born 
and  reared  in  these  habits  of  life.  The  facility  with  which 
they  put  on  habits  of  decency  when  they  become  cooks  and 
servants  simply  adds  other  testimony  to  their  ability  to 
adapt  themselves  to  circumstances  when  it  is  their  interest 
to  do  so.  But  the  instinct  of  the  race  remains  unchanged; 
and  when  the  Chinese  servant  leaves  employment  in  an 
American  household  he  joyfulh^  hastens  back  to  his  slum 
and  his  burrow,  to  the  gratefal  luxury  of  his  normal  sur- 
roundings, vice,  filth  and  an  atmosphere  of  horror. 

Opium  Resorts  in  Chinaiown. 

The  following  table  shows  the  number  and  location  of 
the  public  Opium  Resorts.  The  ' '  opium  lay-out ' '  is  found  in 
nearly  every  sleeping-room  in  Chinatown,  and  is  nearly  as 
common  as  the  tobacco  pipe;  but  these  dens  are  for  the 
general  accommodation  of  those  who  have  no  sleeping  bunks 
and  conveniences  for  opium-smoking  of  their  own,  and  who 
therefore  frequent  these  resorts  to  indulge  in  the  habit. 

The  bunks  are  occupied  night  and  day,  and  the  spectacle 
of  pallid  men  in  a  condition  of  death-stupor,  wrapped  in  the 
dirty  rags  which  constitute  their  bedding,  may  be  witnessed 
in  these  dens  any  day  from  10  A.  M.  to  2  p.  M : 


BOAED   OF   SUPERVISOES. 


27 


Steeet. 


Sacramento 

Clay 

Dupont 

"Waverley  Place. .  . 

Spoflford  Place... 

Washington 

Wtisliington 

Sullivan's  Alley . . . 
Dupont. 

Washington  Place . 
Cooper's  Alley. . . . 
Birtlett  Alley 


Jackson . 


Dunscomha  Alley. 


Jackffou 

Pacific. . 
Dupont 
Jackson 


Number 


731 

809 

616 

23 

825 

836 

7 

918 

26 


E   side 
32 

708 

818 
E.  side 

W.  side 


728) 
730  [ 
727 
lOOlJ^ 
626 
632 


Flooe. 


Basement 

Sub  Basement. 

Basement 

First  Floor 

Basement  . . . . . 
First  Story.   . . , 

Basement 

First  Story 

Basement. .  . . . 
Bear  first  floor. 
Bear  Basement 
Basement 

(( 
It 
t( 

i( 

n 

First  Floor 

Bear  Basement, 
Basement 


No.  of 
Bunks 


12 
23 


14 

10 

10 
11 

6 
12 
19 

8 
14 

3 
14 
13 
12 
12 
11 
10 
11 
14 

26 

4 
16 

7 
19 


Bemabks. 


Filthy. 

24  feet  below  the  street 
line,  and  very  filthy. 
Filthy. 

Opium  refinery  in  rear, 
filthy. 

Filthy. 


Very  filthy. 
Filthy. 


The  use  of  opium  is  so  general  among  the  Chinese  that 
no  visitor  to  Chinatovs-j,  night  or  day,  can  enter  many  sleep- 
ing-rooms without  finding  men  indulging  in  the  habit.  Nor 
will  the  explorer  travel  far  without  finding  them  under  every 
stage  of  its  influence  down  to  the  dead  stupor  such  as  would 
seem  to  furnish  fit  subjects  for  the  Coroner  and  the  morgue, 
rather  than  as  beings  to  whom  life  is  ever  to  return  again. 


28  REPORT   OF    SPECIAL   COMMITTEE 

Violations   of  ihe   Fine   Ordinances. 

If  the  prevailing  rule  of  constant  violation  of  the  fire  ordi- 
nances in  Chinatown  is  to  be  longer  tolerated,  for  the  sake 
of  consistency  at  least,  if  it  were  legally  possible,  there 
should  be  an  additional  section  added,  exempting  the  Chi- 
nese quarter  from  the  operations  of  these  ordinances,  for  it 
is  true  that  they  are  utterly  disregarded  if  not  defied;  and 
we  have  failed  to  discover  that  any  determined  attempt  is 
made  on  the  part  of  the  authorities  to  enforce  them.  Pos- 
sibly it  is  not  practicable  to  enforce  them,  and  possibly  it 
furnishes  another  illustration  of  the  presumption  that  the 
Chinese  are  a  law  unto  themselves,  stronger  than  the  muni- 
cipal or  statute  laws,  and  stronger  than  the  race  which  sur- 
rounds them.  Herewith  we  present  a  diagram  of  the  first 
floor  of  a  building  on  Oneida  Place.  The  fire-places  are 
shown  as  indicated,  and  are  a  fair  type  of  the  manner  in 
which  they  are  constructed  all  over  Chinatown.  The  chim- 
ney, it  will  be  observed,  is  practically  an  unknown  conve- 
nience. A  brick  bench  laid  in  mud  mortar,  in  a  window,  upon 
a  balcony,  or  any  like  place,  upon  which  the  fire  for  cooking 
is  built,  leaving  the  smoke  free  to  escape  as  it  will,  is  all 
that  is  necessary  for  cooking  purposes.  Sometimes  this 
plan  is  varied  by  the  substitution  of  a  tin  box  or  vessel 
filled  with  earth  for  the  brick  platform,  but  the  uses  and 
purposes  of  the  chimney,  cooking  or  other  stoves  or  ranges, 
are  apparently  unknown.  In  no  other  part  of  the  city,  and 
by  no  other  people,  are  such  dangerous  methods  pursued; 
nor  would  they  be  long  tolerated  if  they  were.  Considering 
the  combustible  nature  of  the  surroundings,  it  is  hardly  less 
than  a  miracle  that  conflagrations  are  not  constantly  occur- 
ring, and  that  fire  has  not  long  ago  swept  Chinatown  out  of 
existence  and  a  large  section  of  San  Francisco  besides. 
The  municipal  law  upon  this  subject  is  plain  and  explicit. 
It  provides  as  follows : 


BOARD   OF   SUPERVISORS.  29 

"  No  person  shall  kindle  or  maintain  any  fire  of  charcoal, 
"  wood  or  other  combustible  material,  in  or  upon  any  open 
"  tin,  metal  can,  or  any  earthenware  vessel  whatsoever,  in 
"  any  room,  entry  or  passage,  or  in  any  other  part  of  any 
**  house  in  this  city  and  county;  or  in  any  furnace  or  stove  of 
"  any  kind,  unless  the  same  be  connected  by  means  of  a 
"  good  sheet  iron  flue  or  pipe,  with  a  brick  or  earthen  pipe 
"  chimney,  to  conduct  the  smoke  and  fire  into  said  brick  or 
"  earthen  pipe  chimney." 

There  is  not  a  day  in  the  year  in  which  this  order  is  not 
violated  in  hundreds  and  hundreds  of  instances.  At  the 
same  time,  the  point  which  has  already  been  alluded  to  in 
this  report,  viz.,  that  the  constant  fumigation  to  which 
Chinatown  is  subjected  from  these  open  wood  fires,  may 
be  the  source  of  prevention  of  zymotic  diseases,  should  not 
be  lost  sight  of.  But,  conceding  that  such  is  the  fact,  and 
that  the  risk  and  evil  of  these  open  fires  be  tolerated  and 
the  fumigation  process  be  thereby  preserved  rather  than  to 
risk  the  possibility  of  disease  growing  out  of  their  suppres- 
sion, the  fact  stands  out  none  the  less  clear-cut  and  striking 
that  the  very  presence  of  these  people  among  us  compels 
the  admission  of  the  proposition  that  we  cannot  enact  laws 
general  in  their  application  to  which  they  can  safely  be  sub- 
jected. Nor  can  we,  on  the  other  hand,  enact  special  laws 
that  shall  apply  alone  to  this  or  any  other  race  of  people, 
nor  can  we  by  any  legislative  action  constitutionally  exempt 
them  from  subjection  to  the  general  laws  to  which  all  other 
classes  and  races  among  us  are  amenable. 

The  paradox  involved,  then,  in  these  contradicting  pro- 
positions, is  by  the  simple  fact  that  in  this,  as  in  many  other 
things,  these  people  when  they  come  among  us  are  above  and 
beyond  the  law,  and  so  they  must  possibly  remain.  Stated 
briefly,  the  special  point  now  under  consideration  is  this : 
The  law  prohibits  these  open  fires;  if  they  are  not  sup- 
pressed they  will  constitute  a  standing  menace  from  fire,  and 
may  at  any  moment  involve  the   city  in  a  disastrous  confla- 


30  REPORT   OF   SPECIAL   COMMITTEE 

gration.  If  thej  are  suppressed,  there  is  every  probability 
that  Chinatown  will  become  the  seat  of  zymotic  or  other 
diseases  which  may  involve  the  public  health  of  the  city  at 
large  and  the  sacrifice,  possibly,  of  hundreds  of  lives  an- 
nually. It  is  a  choice  of  two  evils — evils  that  the  presence 
of  this  race  among  us  forces  upon  us  and  which  never  can 
be  wholly  avoided  so  long  as  they  are  among  us. 

In  the  construction  of  privies,  apart  from  the  violations 
of  the  sanitary  ordinances  already  referred  to,  the  city  ordi- 
nances relating  to  the  fire  limits,  etc.,  provide  that  "privies 
or  water  closets  of  wood,"  shall  be  constructed  in  a  particu- 
lar manner,  and  shall  not  "project  over  the  line  of  any 
"  street,  lane,  alley  or  place,  and  they  shall  not  be  used  for 
"  any  other  purpose."  No  regard  is  paid  to  this  provision 
of  the  municipal  laws  whenever  it  suits  the  convenience  of 
occupants  of  buildings  in  Chinatown  to  ignore  them.  There 
are  many  instances  that  might  be  pointed  out  where  this 
rule  is  violated. 

The  two  Chinese  theatres  furnish  striking  examples  of  the 
audacity  of  the  race  in  ignoring  the  law,  and  the  impunity  with 
which  such  violation  is  practiced.  In  both  these  theatres 
almost  every  specified  provision  of  the  fire  ordinance  relating 
to  places  of  amusement  is  openly  violated,  even  down  to 
that  clause  of  the  ordinance  which  provides  that  no  portion 
of  a  theatre  "  shall  be  occupied  or  used  as  a  hotel,  boarding 
*'  or  lodging  house,"  etc.  In  the  case  of  the  Washington 
street  theatre  it  is  at  once  both  boarding  and  lodging  house, 
containing  bunks  for  150  persons,  all  of  whom  eat  and  sleep 
under  its  roof. 

The    Chinese   Labor  Problem. 

The  essentially  American  policy  of  a  tariff  for  protection 
to  home  industry  is  not  alone  on  trial  as  against  the  opposing 
doctrine  of  Free  Trade.  Protection  against  the  "pauper 
labor  of  Europe  "  as  a  system  of  public  policy  may  be  advo- 
cated, upheld  and  practiced  as  we  will,  but  it  is  clear  that 


BOAED  OF  SUPEEVISORS.  31 

the  doctrine  is  absolutely  nullified,  and  the  laws  that  are 
enacted  to  support  it  are  successfully  and  eSectually  evaded 
by  the  importation,  not  of  the  products  of  pauper  labor,  but 
of  pauper  labor  itself,  of  a  far  lower  grade  than  that  of 
Europe,  viz.,  the  Asiatic. 

The  political  party  which  claims  to  be  the  party  of  pro- 
tection to  home  industry  by  means  of  a  high  tariff  necessarily 
stultifies  itself  if  it  fails  to  set  itself  against  the  greater  of 
these  dangers,  the  importation  of  i^siatic  pauper  labor,  as 
well  as  against  the  free  importation  of  the  products  of  Euro- 
pean pauper  labor.  For  it  is  clear  that  Asiatic  labor  here 
upon  our  own  soil,  which  can  exist  here  at  a  less  cost  for 
living  than  can  even  the  pauper  labor  of  Europe  exist  upon 
European  soil,  not  only  possesses  a  dominant  advantage 
over  home  labor,  but  also  over  the  "pauper  labor  of 
Europe  "  itself,  about  which  we  declaim  so  earnestly.  If 
this  "  Asiatic  pauper  labor,"  ivierated  here  upon  our  own 
soil,  can  produce  here  any  artioia  of  manufacture  cheaper 
than  the  same  article  can  be  produced  in  Europe,  the  advan- 
tage is  not  alone  the  difference  in  the  cheapness  of  the 
product,  but  in  the  tariff  which  is  imposed  on  the  article 
thus  manufactured  in  Europe  and  Imported  here.  Therefore 
the  Asiatic  laborer  residing  here  literally  commands  the  sit- 
uation. The  result  of  such  a  com  [petition  is  indisputable. 
Either  the  American  laborer  must  come  down  to  a  level  '^:Ab. 
the  imported  ''little  brown  man  ''  in  habits  of  life  and. de- 
sires, or  he  must  become  a  helpless  pauper  himself. 

This  is  not  the  gospel  of  the  ••'  Sand  Lot ;''  it  is  the  gos- 
pel of  political  truth,  upon  whicii  all  parties  should  agree 
who  have  the  welfare  of  soci'  y  at  heart,  and  to  whom 
humanity  itself  ought  not  to  plead  in  vain. 

Cool  and  dispassionate  consideration  of  this  great  over- 
shadowing question  is  novr  the  necessity  of  the  hour,  unin- 
fluenced by  the  senseless  jargon  of  "  The  Chinese  must  go," 
or  any  other  shibboleth  of  the  demagogue.  Planted  here 
in  this  young,  but  already  great  metropolis,  is  a  Mongolian 


32  BEPORT  OF    SPECIAL  COMMITTEE 

population  forming  about  one-eighth  of  the  entire  com- 
munity, and  probably  one-fourth  of  the  laboring  classes, 
equal  to  the  task  of  competition  in  any  line  of  skilled  or 
unskilled  manufacture.  Their  habits  and  mode  of  life  ren- 
der the  cost  of  support  less  than  one-fifth  of  that  of  the 
ordinary  American  laborer,  who  exercises  what  is  commonly 
recognized  as  the  strictest  rules  of  economy  and  thrift.  This 
first  combing  of  the  wave  of  Chinese  labor  is  to-day  in  more 
than  successful  competition  with  the  home  workman  here  in 
the  production  of  every  article  of  clothing,  cigars,  and  other 
like  necessities  and  luxuries  of  life,  to  the  extent  that,  prac- 
tically, the  occupation  of  the  skilled  home  laborer  is  gone, 
indeed,  even  at  this  early  stage  of  the  contact. 

This  statement  of  the  case  has  been  presented  heretofore 
in  various  forms,  but  it  has  too  often  been  howled  in  insen- 
sate and  unreasoning  clamor  from  the  "  Sand  Lot"  instead  of 
being  proved  by  the  medium  of  crystalized  fact  and  the  in- 
exorable logic  of  demonstrated  truth. 

It  is  within  the  province  and  scope  of  this  report  to  sup- 
ply this  ' '  missing  link  "  through  the  facts  which  have  been 
collated  in  this  investigation,  and  about  which  there  can 
surely  be  no  dispute,  if  human  evidence  is  of  value  at  all  in 
the  search  for  truth,  hidden  where  it  may  be. 

Your  Committee,  then,  apart  from  theorizing,  invite  the 
attention  of  the  Board  and  of  the  American  people  to  their 
exhibit  of  facts  relating  to  this  subject  of  Chinese  labor  here 
in  San  Francisco  alone,  and  the  inevitable  result  which  must 
sooner  or  later  be  reached  all  over  the  land  as  the  Chinese 
tide  advances  and  sweeps  competition  to  the  winds. 

It  need  not  be  said  that  the  discussion  of  this  phase  of 
the  question  is  useless  now  because  of  the  treaty  and  the 
legislation  which  is  supposed  to  prohibit  Chinese  immigra- 
tion; for  the  fact  is  but  too  apj)arent  to  every  resident  of  San 
Francisco  that  Chinese  immigration  is  still  flowing  in  in 
appalling  numbers,  and  the  treaty  and  the  prohibitory  legis- 
lation scarcely  modifies  the  strength  of  the  tide,  much  less 


BOARD   OF   SUPERVISORS.  33 

prohibits.  Therefore  it  is  more  than  in  order  at  this  time  to 
analyze  and  discuss  the  effect  of  Chinese  pauper  lalbor  upon 
the  welfare  of  the  American  laborer  and  the  American 
people. 

Among  the  tabular  statements  forming  an  appendix  to 
this  report  will  be  found  one  marked  ' '  Exhibit  A, "  giving  a 
list  of  the  manufacturing  establishments  in  Chinatown  and 
the  various  lines  of  manufactured  goods  which  are  produced 
there.  This  exhibit  forms  in  itself  but  a  minor  factor  in  the 
problem,  since  the  great  bodv  of  Chinese  laborers  in  skilled 
and  unskilled  manufacture  is  employed  outside  of  the  limits 
of  Chinatown,  and,  indeed,  outside  of  the  limits  of  the  City 
and  County  of  San  Francisco.  But  what  is  taking  place 
here  will  but  too  painfully  illustrate  the  appalling  character 
of  the  danger  which  this  Asiatic  invasion  typifies.  The  les- 
son which  that  invasion  ought  to  teach,  through  such  ex- 
hibits as  these,  can  only  be  nullified  by  the  preaching  of 
these  blind,  fanatical  theories  which  have  heretofore  made 
an  idol  of  "  the  little  brown  man,"  but  which  are  none  the 
less  a  wicked  abomination  to  the  Christian  mind  than  are  the 
grotesque  and  hideous  idols  which  form  the  objects  of  wor- 
ship of  "  the  little  brown  man"  himself. 

It  appears  from  this  Exhibit  that  there  are  employed  in 
Chinatown  to-day  not  less  than  2,326  Chinese  workmen 
engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  clothing  of  various  descrip- 
tions, boots  and  shoes,  leather,  cigars,  etc.,  all  of  which  is 
produced  for  consumption  here  in  competition  with  the 
American  workmen  engaged  in  the  same  line  of  manufacture. 
Most  of  this  labor  is  carried  on  through  the  use  of  the  best 
modern  machinery,  in  the  operation  of  which  the  Chinese 
workman  becomes  an  adept  in  a  short  space  of  time.  Ma- 
chinery for  the  manufacture  of  boots  and  shoes  in  the  large 
establishments  operated  by  Chinese  labor  supplies  a  large 
share  of  the  demand  for  the  whole  Pacific  Coast.  The  Hop 
Kee  Company,  on  Dupont  street,  an  establishment  employ- 


34  REPORT  OF  SPECIAL  COMMITTEE 

ing  at  some  seasons  of  the  year  three  hundred  men,  finds  a 
market  for  its  goods  as  far  east  as  Salt  Lake  City  at  present, 
and  will  at  uo  distant  day  invade  the  country  east  of  the 
Mississippi,  giving  manufacturers  there  an  opportunity  to 
become  practically  acquainted  with  the  effects  of  "  Chinese 
cheap  labor"  and  the  results  which  follow  in  its  train. 

In  the  manufacture  of  clothing,  ladies'  underwear,  shirts, 
etc.,  1,245  sewing  machines  are  kept  actively  at  work, 
all  operated  by  male  laborers  with  a  skill  that  is  equal  to  the 
best  efforts  of  the  American  woman,  as  well  as  the  American 
man,  in  this  direction,  and  all  run  with  such  quick-handed, 
untiring  energy,  that  it  suggests  one  of  the  most  curious 
physiological  problems  of  the  day  to  understand  how  a  peo- 
ple, nurtured  and  fed  as  they  are,  can  possess  the  vitality 
and  physical  force  necessary  to  the  results  which  they 
achieve  in  this  direction. 

Most  of  this  labor  is  carried  on  by  "piece-work"  and  to 
fill  orders  for  large  "down-town  commercial  houses"  en- 
gaged in  the  sale  of  the  class  of  goods  thus  produced.  The 
heavy,  strong-stitched  jean  overalls  whicli  find  so  large  a 
market  on  this  coast,  are  made  by  the  Chinese  workmen  at  the 
rate  of  about  fifty-five  cents  per  dozen  pairs.  The  work  thus 
produced — at  a  price  which  would  reduce  the  American 
worker,  male  or  female,  to  a  lower  level  than  the  ' '  woman, 
weary  and  wan"  whose  misery  Hood  depicted  so  graphically 
in  "  The  Song  of  the  Shirt" — the  Chinaman  thrives  upon,  and 
is  prosperous  and  happy.  But  it  is  a  prosperity  and  a  hap- 
piness that  is  based  upon  a  mode  of  life  that  a  homeless  cur 
upon  the  streets  might  not  envy,  upon  which  the  American 
laborer  could  not  exist  until  a  succession  of  generations  had 
so  brutalized  and  blunted  his  race  proclivities  that  he  had 
degenerated  into  a  condition  worse  than  barbarism  and 
become  a  curse  to  civilization,  instead  of  what  he  is  to-day, 
the  vital  strength  of  the  nation. 


BOARD   OF   SUPERVISORS.  35 

Gambling   in   Chinatown. 

"We  come  now  to  the  consideration  of  a  phase  of  life  in 
Chinatown  which,  for  manifest  reasons,  your  Committee 
would  gladly  avoid  referring  to  if  it  were  not  in  their  plain 
line  of  duty  to  do  otherwise. 

These  reasons  are,  that  in  any  fair  presentation  of  the 
matter  of  gambling  and  the  gambling  dens  in  Chinatown  a 
serious  responsibility  must  be  brought  home  to  the  Police 
Department,  or  the  owners  of  the  property  where  these 
dens  are  situated  must  accept  the  responsibility  themselves. 
If  the  responsibility  for  the  existing  condition  of  things 
does  not  rest  in  one  of  these  quarters,  then  it  must  be  set 
down  to  the  debit  of  a  weak,  inefficient  public  policy  that 
has  long  prevailed  in  San  Francisco,  by  which  laws  for  the 
protection  of  the  public  health  and  public  morals  have 
either  not  been  enforced  or  are  yet  not  sufficient  in  them- 
selves in  the  form  of  their  enactment.  In  either  case  it 
is  an  unpleasant  task  for  your  Committee  to  attempt  to  fix 
the  responsibility;  but  it  is  their  duty  to  state  the  facts,  and, 
so  far  as  possible,  to  suggest  the  remedy  for  what  seems  to 
be  a  great  public  evil. 

Here,  again,  we  are  met  with  the  most  positive  evidences 
that  have  yet  been  produced,  that  the  Chinese  population 
among  us  openly  defy  the  State  and  Municipal  laws.  These 
laws  are  strong  enough,  as  has  been  conclusively  proved,  to 
shut  up  gambling-houses  run  by  white  men,  and  to  make  the 
occupation  of  the  gambler  completely  amenable  to  the 
majesty  of  the  law.  It  is  not  so  in  Chinatown.  The 
appendix  to  this  report,  "Exhibit  B,"  furnishes  a  list  of 
"  iron-clad,"  barricaded  gambling  dens  in  Chinatown 
which  are  veritable  citadels  and  strongholds  built  to  defy 
assault  and  to  baffle  police  interference. 

This  list  comprises  about  150  places  in  all,  the  approach  to 
which  is  through  a  series  of  plank  and  iron  doors,  iii  every 
instance  with  giated  windows,  cunningly  devised  trap-doors 
for  escapes,  and  in  many  instances  iron-clad  walls  or  parti- 


36  REPORT  OF  SPECIAL   COMMITTEE 

tions.  Many  of  these  doors  bear  the  marks  and  indentations 
of  the  sledges  of  the  police  who  have  assailed  them  from 
time  to  time,  which  attack  has  usually  been  successfully 
resisted,  however,  long  enough  to  enable  every  evidence  of  the 
gambling  games  carried  on  within  to  be  destroyed,  before 
the  assailants  were  admitted.  The  convenient  water-closet, 
or  kitchen  fire,  always  adjacent  to  and  forming  part  of  these 
dens,  furnish  ready  means  to  destroy  the  tan-markers  or 
lottery  devices,  and  innocent  Celestials,  sitting  "childlike 
and  bland,"  apparently  in  wonder  why  they  have  been  dis- 
turbed and  against  whom  no  charge  can  be  successfully 
maintained  in  the  Courts,  are  all  that  is  found  within,  when 
entrance  has  once  been  gained.  Such  is  the  statement  of 
the  officers  of  the  Police  Department,  and  such  statement 
seems  to  be  generally  borne  out  by  the  facts. 

On  the  other  hand,  considering  how  numerous  the  gam- 
bling dens  are,  considering  that  many  of  them  open  direct 
upon  the  street,  it  would  seem  that  there  must  be  negligence 
somewhere  to  enable  the  business  to  be  carried  on  so  suc- 
cessfully, in  view  of  the  fact  that  the  gambling  houses  kept 
by  men  of  our  own  race  have  been  so  energetically  and 
effectually  dealt  with. 

But  this  proposition  is  again  met  and  answered,  and  an- 
swered with  much  force,  by  the  statement  that  the  number 
of  men  in  the  police  force,  and  the  means  with  which  the 
department  is  provided,  are  not  sufficient  to  enable  China- 
town to  be  effectually  patrolled  and  the  gambling  houses 
thoroughly  watched  and  raided.  Further,  that,  so  long  as 
property-holders  will  permit  these  barricaded  gambling  hells 
to  be  constructed,  so  long  as  they  will  permit  their  houses  to 
be  thus  converted  into  fortresses  for  the  purpose  of  defying 
the  law,  and,  further,  so  long  as  the  municipal  authorities 
will  permit  property-holders  thus  to  allow  these  Chinese 
tenants  to  misuse  their  property  to  the  public  injury  and 
for  the  purpose  of  violating  the  law,  so  long  the  evil  must 
exist,  and  nothing  less  than  a  police  force  large  enough  to 


BOABD   OF   SUPERVISOKS.  37 

constitute  a  constant  army  of  occupation  must  be  kept  in 
Chinatown,  with  battering-rams  and  dynamite,  if  necessary, 
to  enable  them  to  open  and  raid  these  dens  of  vice.  And  to 
this,  it  seems  to  your  Committee,  there  is  no  answer.  It  brings 
home  the  blame  for  this  condition  of  things  to  the  municipal 
authority  itself,  which,  by  a  proper  display  of  its  own 
power,  at  whatever  cost  it  may  be  involved,  can  and  must, 
sooner  or  later,  try  conclusions  with  Chinatown  and  the 
Chinese,  and  make  them  amenable  to  the  law  in  everything. 

"  The  Heathen  Chinee." 

"  The  little  brown  man,"  as  he  is  designated  by  one  of 
the  most  prominent  members  of  the  United  States  Senate, 
and  a  representative  of  a  State  that  is  commonly  assumed 
to  stand  in  the  fore-front  of  human  progress,  is  considered 
by  many  Christians  as  a  most  fitting  subject  for  Missionary 
work  and  conversion  to  Christianity.  It  is  possibly  no  legiti- 
mate part  of  the  work  assigned  to  your  Committee  to  exam- 
ine and  report  upon  this  branch  of  the  subject,  and  possibly 
it  is  their  duty  to  do  so.  From  our  point  of  view  it  seems 
but  proper  to  us  that  the  people  throughout  our  country 
should  have  as  full  a  knowledge  as  possible  of  what  thirty- 
five  years  of  constant  attrition  of  Christianity  and  Idolatry 
has  resulted  in,  as  exemplified  in  the  history  of  the  Chi- 
nese in  San  Francisco.  It  is  proper  that  the  world  should 
be  informed  as  to  whether  Christianity  advances  or  retreats 
before  Chinese  Idolatry  when  brought  into  immediate  con- 
tact with  each  other.  ;  whether  the  Christian  religion  is  to 
be  the  gainer  or  the  loser  ;  whether  the  human  souls  that 
are  to  be  lost  or  saved  are  to  change  in  their  relations  of 
ratio  to  each  other,  according  to  the  doctrines  of  Christian- 
ity; whether  it  is  or  is  not  worth  while  to  permit  them  to 
continue  to  come  among  us  in  the  beneficent  hope  that  "  the 
true  faith  "  may  be  more  widely  promulgated  and  souls  be 
saved  that  must  otherwise  be  eternally  lost. 


38  EEPORT  OF  SPECIAL  COMMITTEE 

For  true  missionary  work  your  Committee  have  the  most 
unbounded  respect  and  sympathy.  For  efforts  in  this  direc- 
tion that  the  stern  experience  of  the  past  thirty-five  years 
have  demonstrated  by  cold  practical  results  to  be  more  than 
sterile  and  barren,  and  for  those  who  have  wasted  their 
labor  in  the  field,  your  Committee  can  entertain  no  other 
sentiment  than  that  of  charitable  pity.  For  those  who,  in 
spite  of  every  proof  of  its  utter  uselessuess,  continue  to  be 
the  advocates  of  Chinese  immigration  with  this  "hope  of 
conversion"  doctrine  as  one  of  the  main  reasons  and  justi- 
fication of  their  action,  we  have  nothing  but  contempt  and 
disgust. 

So  far  in  San  Francisco  "  the  Heathen  Chinee  "  has,  in 
the  slang  parlance  of  the  day,  "got  in  his  work"  with 
the  same  irresistible  force  as  that  with  which  Boston's  other 
"slogging"  champion  has  always  displayed  in  his  ring 
encounters.  And  Senator  Hoar,  and  his  followers,  who 
would  fain  open  wide  our  gates  to  the  "little  brown  man," 
that  he  may  be  converted  to  Christianity  and  share  in  the 
blessings  of  American  citizenship,  may  possibly  find  food 
for  new  reflection  by  a  careful  study  of  some  of  the  naked 
facts  which  your  Committee  have  been  enabled  to  present 
upon  this  branch  of  the  subject.  In  this  view  of  the  matter, 
then,  your  Committee  consider  it  their  duty  to  invite  public 
attention  to  the  following  facts  : 

The  proofs,  as  developed  by  this  investigation  and  which 
are  so  plain  as  to  be  beyond  question,  are  these  :  The  Chi- 
nese brought  here  with  them  and  have  successfully  main- 
tained and  perpetuated  the  grossest  habits  of  bestiality 
practiced  by  the  human  race.  The  twin  vices  of  gambling 
in  its  most  defiant  form,  and  the  opium  habit,  they  have  not 
only  firmly  planted  here  for  their  own  delectation  and  the 
gratification  of  the  grosser  passions,  but  they  have  suc- 
ceeded in  so  spreading  these  vitiating  evils  as  to  have  added 
thousands  of  proselytes  to  the  practice  of  these  vices  from'" 
our  own  blood  and  race.     The  lowest  possible  form  of^prob- 


BOAED   OF   SUPERVISOKS.  39 

titution — ^partaking  of  both  slavery  and  prostitution — they 
have  planted  and  fostered  to  a  lusty  growth  among  us,  and 
have  innoculated  our  youth  not  only  with  the  virus  of  immor- 
ality in  its  most  hideous  form  but  have,  through  the  same 
sources,  physically  poisoned  the  blood  of  thousands  by  the 
innoculation  with  diseases  the  most  frightful  that  flesh  is 
heir  to,  and  furnishing  posterity  with  a  line  of  scrofulous 
and  leprous  victims  that  might  better  never  have  been  born 
than  to  curse  themselves  and  mankind  at  large  with  their  con- 
tagious presence.  They  have  successfully  overridden  and  de- 
fied the  laws  of  morality  in  every  form,  and  the  statutory  laws 
of  the  State  and  municipality.  They  have  driven  the  American 
laborer  to  the  wall  and  taken  the  bread  from  the  mouths  of 
thousands  of  deserving  families,  while  all  that  missionary 
work  has  done  among  them,  all  that  contact  with  Christian- 
ity has  accomplished  in  the  line  of  conversion  to  "the  true 
faith,"  is  as  imperceptible  and  as  slow  in  its  results  as  is  the 
influence  of  the  smallest  comet  that  ever  blazed  into  view 
in  planetary  space  upon  the  great  orbs  that  traverse  their 
appointed  pathways  within  the  solar  system  to  which  they 
belong.     Let  us  see  if  this  is  not  the  fact. 

First,  as  is  shown  upon  the  map  accompanying  this 
report,  the  "Joss  House"  is,  proportioned  to  population, 
even  more  common  in  Chinatown  than  are  the  edifices 
of  the  Christian  church  in  other  portions  of  the  city.  Idols 
of  the  most  hideous  form  and  feature  squat  upon  their 
altars,  from  which  license,  in  the  belief  of  the  Chinaman, 
sufficient  to  justify  crime  or  vice  of  any  degree  may  be  had 
for  the  asking.  Idols  that  typify,  not  the  precepts  of 
morality  taught  by  Confucius,  carved  and  created  by  the 
mechanical  fancy  of  the  most  skillful  Mongolian  artist  into 
every  conceivable  distortion  of  feature  and  limb,  more  fre- 
quently represent  and  give  license  to  the  practice  of  a  vice, 
than  a  virtue  to  be  inculcated  and  lived  up  to.  Even  the 
' '  Goddess  of  Prostitution  ' '  sits  enthroned  upon  her  altar  in 
more  than  one  Joss  House  in  San  Francisco,  and  licenses 


40  REPORT   OF   SPECIAL   COMMITTEE 

her  votaries  to  the  practice  of  nameless  indulgences  and 
the  most  bestial  gratification  of  their  sensuous  lusts.  Let 
the  sceptic  who  views  this  statement  as  an  exaggeration  or 
misrepresentation  of  fact  visit  the  Joss  Houses  of  San  Fran- 
cisco and  he  will  no  longer  doubt;  for  it  is  the  truth. 

While  the  Chinese  have  thus  planted  their  idolatry 
among  us  with  all  its  attendant  vices,  while  they  have  under- 
mined the  morals  and  the  physical  health  of  our  youth,  and 
defied  our  laws,  what  has  Christianity  to  show,  through  the 
aid  of  its  Missionaries  or  otherwise,  in  its  confiict  with 
Asiatic  heathenism,  whether  it  be  in  the  advance  of  Chris- 
tian morals  or  the  Christian  religion? 

In  morals,  nothing!  And  no  one  can  possibly  so  perveit 
the  truth  as  to  maintain  otherwise.  In  religious  teachings 
let  the  evidence  of  the  Missionaries  themselves  speak  for 
itself. 

The  Eev.  Otis  Gibson,  who  testified  before  the  Legisla- 
tive Committee  upon  the  occasion  heretofore  referred  to, 
said  that  he  had  been  a  Missionary  of  the  Methodist  Episco- 
pal Church  in  China  ten  years.  That  he  had  long  been 
doing  missionary  work  here  among  the  Chinese.  That  from 
information  obtained  from  the  books  of  the  Six  Companies 
he  thought  there  were  about  150,000  Chinamen  in  California. 

Asked,  "How  many  of  these  Chinamen  have  become 
"  Christians — Eoman  Catholics  as  well  as  Protestants  ?" 

He  answered,  "I  could  not  give  you  statistics  of  that 
"  exactly.  I  don't  know  what  the  statistics  of  the  Eomau 
**  Catholic  Church  are.     They  have  very  few  proselytes." 

Q. — ''What  do  you  suppose  your  converts  amount  to? 
Can  you  approximate  how  many  ?" 

A. — "  I  suppose  that  in  this  city  there  may  be  in  all  one 
hundred." 

Again,  he  was  asked  by  Mr.  Eggers :  "I  would  like  to 
have  you  give  us  your  experience  as  a  Missionary  with  these 
people  ?" 

A. — "  Our  success  with  this  people  has  been  slow.    They 


BOAED   OP    SUPEEYISOKS.  *  41 

begin  hj  going  to  school,  and  we  gradually  teacli  tliem  to 
have  a  disgust  for  idolatry.  That  is  the  first  point  reached. 
During  my  labors  /  Jiave  baptized  thirty-Jive  or  thirty-six  per- 
sons. " 

Q. — "In  how  many  years?" 

A. — "Since  1871,  properly  speaking." 

This  was  in  1878,  so  that  the  net  product  of  Mr.  Gibson's 
labors  in  seven  years  was  thirty-five  or  thirty-six  Mongolian 
souls  saved  by  baptism — provided  that  it  proved  that  the 
religion  with  which  they  were  thus  dyed  was  of  fast  colors 
and  did  not  subsequently  wash  out,  by  a  new  baptism  of 
their  own  election. 

Rev.  A.  W.  Loomis  testified  that  in  seventeen  years  of 
missionary  work  in  San  Francisco  his  school  had  "received 
eighty  members;  deducting  twenty  who  have  been  dismissed, 
and  we  have  sixty-three." 

Let  us  hear  what  others  testify  to  upon  this  question: 

Wong  Ben,  an  intelligent  Chinese  interpreter,  testified 
before  the  Legislative  Committee  as  follows : 

Q. — "  Do  you  know  any  Christian  Chinamen?" 

^ li  Yes." 

Q*.—"  How  many  ?" 

A. — "  Ten  or  fifteen.  Some  believe  little.  Some  just  go 
to  school  to  learn  to  read  ;  that  is  all.  Some  believe  every- 
thing." 

Lee  Kan,  interpreter  for  the  Bank  of  California,  testified 
as  follows : 

Q. — "  Do  you  know  any  Chinese  Christians  ?" 

A.—"  Yes,  sir." 

Q. — "  Are  you  one  ?" 

A— "No,  sir." 

Q. — "  Are  these  men  real  Christians  or  are  they  only 
pretending  to  be  ?" 

A.— "I  cannot  tell." 

Q. — "  As  a  rule,  are  they  not  such  persons  as  would  be- 
come Christians  for  good  salaries  and  good  positions  ?  " 

A. — "  I  guess  so." 

Q. — "  Do  you  hear  any  of  them  say  that  Sunday-school 
is  a  good  place  to  learn  English  ?" 


42  KEPORT   OF   SPECIAL   COMMITTEE 

A.— "Yes,  sir." 

Q. — "  Did  it  strike  you  that  they  were  more  anxious  to 
learn  English  than  to  get  religious  teaching  ?" 
A.—"  Yes,  sir." 

Now,  post  the  ledger  and  ascertain  how  the  account 
stands.  Thirty-five  or  thirty-six  souls  saved  by  the  missionary 
work  of  Mr.  Gibson,  eighty  by  Mr.  Loomis,  making  one 
hundred  and  fifteen  in  all,  deducting  nothing  for  backsliders, 
in  a  maximum  period  of  seventeen  years,  that  being  the  term 
of  the  administration  of  Mr.  Loomis!  Against  this,  thou- 
sands of  young  men  debauched  and  diseased  for  life  by 
reason  of  their  presence  among  us;  innumerable  young  men 
and  young  women  confirmed  in  the  opium  habit  from  the 
same  source;  the  laboring  classes  deprived  of  Avork  and  im- 
poverished, their  children  graduated  in  the  school  of 
"  Hoodlumism;"  the  laws  set  aside  and  defied;  a  filthy  and 
disgusting  mode  of  life  set  up  by  a  clannish  population  in 
the  fairest  and  best  portion  of  the  city,  and  made  a  constant 
jnenace  to  the  welfare  of  the  community  by  reason  of  the 
danger  from  fire  and  disease  that  will  some  day  spring  from 
that  locality.  All  this  to  offset  the  salvation  of  a  few  score 
of  souls  of  beings  whose  miserable  lives  and  souls  ought  not 
in  the  aggregate  to  bear  a  feather's  weight  against  the  deep 
damnation  of  the  curse  they  have  inflicted  upon  our  race, 
and  the  ruin  and  everlasting  misery  they  have  brought  upon 
thousands — if  the  Christian  religion  be  "  the  true  faith  "  by 
which  human  souls  are  to  be  saved. 

All  this,  while  their  Joss  Houses  are  still  illuminated 
by  the  dim  lamps  that  rest  upon  their  altars  and  the 
oil  of  which  is  never  burned  out.  The  smoke  of  their  in- 
cense still  wends  its  way  upward,  the  Joss  sticks  of  fate  still 
invite  the  superstition  of  the  fatalist,  and  Chinese  idolatry 
remains,  not  alone  unshaken  and  full  of  vigoi-,  but,  in  the 
contest  thus  far  with  the  Christian  religion  upon  these 
shores,  it  has  beaten  down  the  barriers  interposed  against  it, 
and  laughed  to  scorn  the  labors  of  the  Missionary. 


BOAKD   OF   SUPERVISOES.  43 

So  far,  it  is  the  victor,  in  full  possession  of  the  field.  So 
far,  Christianity  has  beaten  against  it  with  as  little  effect  and 
as  little  purpose  as  the  waves  of  the  Pacific  with  their  sweep 
of  thousands  of  miles  to  give  them  force  accomplish, 
when  they  thunder  and  break  against  the  rocky  and  jutting 
head-lands  of  oar  own  Golden  Gate. 

There  never  was  a  more  wicked  and  shameful  exhibition 
of  detestable,  narrow-minded  bigotry  than  that  which  seeks 
to  justify  Chinese  immigration  by  linking  it  with  a  scheme 
for  the  salvation  of  souls.  The  beasts  of  the  field,  the 
vagrant  dogs  that  the  Pound-master  gathers  upon  the  streets 
to  put  to  death,  by  drowning,  are  vastly  better  worthy  of  our 
commiseration  than  the  whole  Mongolian  race  when  they 
they  seek  to  overrun  our  country  and  blast  American  wel- 
fare and  progress  with  their  miserable,  contaminating  pres- 
ence. 

Let  the  would-be  religious  enthusiasts  of  the  tribe  who 
would  feed  the  cannibal  with  texts  from  the  Bible  as  a  cure 
for  his  propensity  to  dine  off  of  human  flesh,  and  scatter 
tracts  in  Borrioboolagha  as  food  for  the  starving,  and  who 
believe  in  the  power  of  Christian  contact  to  wrestle  with 
Chinese  idolatry,  come  here  and  study  this  question  as  your 
Committee  have  studied  it,  and  they  will  return  cured  of  the 
mind  malady  with  which  they  are  now  afflicted,  or  be  en- 
titled to  life  support  and  care  in  any  idiot  asylum  in  the 
land.  So  much  for  the  "salvation"  side  of  the  Chinese 
question. 

The  Chinese  as  Murderers. 

The  spectacle  of  (.he  past  few  weeks,  of  police  officers 
stationed  at  night  at  each  end  of  the  alleys  leading  slum- 
ward  in  Chinatown,  searching  the  persons  of  the  Chinese 
who  enter  and  depart  therefrom  for  the  purpose  of  discover- 
ing concealed  weapons,  is  edifying.  It  has  grown  out  of  a 
murder  which  was  not  long  ago  committed  near  one  of  these 
alleys,  and  as  it  was  the  work  of  the  assassin's  deadly  knife, 


44  EEPOET   OF   SPECIAL   COMMITTEE 

and  has  so  far  baffled  all  effort  at  discovery,  the  police 
authorities,  in  the  most  praiseworthy  manner,  are  endeavor- 
ing to  prevent  a  similar  recurrence  aud  possibly  discover 
some  clue  to  the  murderous  Mongol  now  in  hiding. 

This  brings  before  your  Committee  the  subject  of 
"  lanpunished  crime  "  in  Chinatown,  upon  which  it  is  proper 
that  such  facts  as  have  come  to  our  knowledge  should  be  laid 
before  you. 

Not  only  does  the  cunning  and  utter  unscrupulousness  of 
Chinamen  enable  them  to  evade  our  laws,  but  the  evi- 
dence is  conclusive  that  they  have  well  organized  tribunals 
of  their  own  which  punish  offenders  against  themselves  when 
it  is  their  interest  to  punish,  but  which  never  punish  those 
•who  violate  the  laws  of  the  city  or  the  State . 

It  has  been  said  of  them,  with  great  force  and  truth,  that 
they  ' '  are  not  only  not  amenable  to  law,  but  they  are  gov- 
erned by  secret  tribunals  unrecognized  and  unauthorized 
by  law.  The  records  of  these  tribunals  have  been  dis- 
covered, and  are  found  to  be  antagonistic  to  our  legal 
system." 

"These  tribunals  are  formed  by  the  several  Chinese 
companies  or  guilds,  and  are  recognized  as  legitimate  author- 
ities by  the  Chinese  population.  They  levy  taxes,  com- 
mand masses  of  men,  intimidate  interpreters  and  witnesses, 
enforce  perjury,  regulate  trade,  punish  the  refractory, 
remove  witnesses  beyond  the  reach  of  our  courts,  control 
liberty  of  action,  and  prevent  the  return  of  Chinese  to 
their  home  in  China  without  their  consent.  In  short,  they 
exercise  a  despotic  sway  over  one-seventh  of  the  popula- 
tion of  the  State  of  California. 

"  They  invoke  the  processes  of  law  only  to  punish  the 
independent  action  of  their  subjects,  and  it  is  claimed  that 
they  exercise  the  death  penalty  upon  those  who  refuse 
obedience  to  their  decrees. 

"  We  are  disposed  to  acquit  these  companies  and  secret 
tribunals   of    the   charge  of  deliberate  intent  to  supersede 


BOARD   OF   SUPERVISOES.  45 

the  authority  of  the  State,  The  system  is  inherent  and 
part  of  the  fibre  of  the  Chinese  mind,  and  exists  because 
the  Chinese  are  thoroughly  and  permanently  alien  to  us  in 
language  and  interests.  It  is  nevertheless  a  fact  that 
these  companies  or  tribunals  do  nullify  and  supersede  the 
State  and  National  authorities.  And  the  fact  remains  that 
they  constitute  a  foreign  government  within  the  boundaries 
of  the  Eepublic." 

Such  were  the  conclusions  arrived  at  by  the  Legislative 
Committee  in  1876.  And  they  fairly  justified  their  conclu- 
sions by  the  proofs  which  they  elicited  in  the  course  of  their 
investigations.  We  cannot  better  illustrate  this  than  to 
quote  from  them  at  length.     They  say  : 

"  That  we  have  not  overstated  the  facts,  we  beg  to  refer 
briefly  to  some  of  the  testimony  of  reputable  witnesses, 
given  under  the  sanction  of  an  oath,  before  this  Com- 
mittee. 

"  James  R.  Eogers,  a  San  Francisco  officer  of  intelli- 
gence and  experience,  testifies  as  follows,  (see  volume  of 
testimony  herewith  transmitted,  p.  61): 

A, — "  I  do  not  know  of  my  own  knowledge  that  such  a  tri- 
bunal exists  (secret  Chinese  tribunal).  I  only  know  that 
when  a  Chinaman  swears  differently  from  what  they  want 
him  to  his  life  is  in  danger.  They  sometimes  use  our 
Courts  to  enforce  their  orders,  just  as  policy  may  direct. 
They  have  no  regard  for  our  laws,  and  obey  them,  so  far 
as  they  do,  only  through  fear. 

"  D.  J.  Murphy,  District  Attorney  of  the  City  and 
County  of  San  Francisco,  and  one  of  the  ablest  and  most 
experienced  criminal  lawyers  in  the  State  [now  one  of  our 
Criminal  Court  Judges],  testifies  as  follows,  (Evidence,  pp. 
82  and  83): 

Q. — "In  your  official  capacity,  have  you  been  brought 
into  contact  with  Chinese  ?  " 

A. — "  Yes,  sir  ;  ]  have  looked  on  my  docket  for  two  years, 
and  I  find  that  of  seven  hundred  cases  that  I  examined  be- 
fore the  Grand  Jury  one  hundred  and  twenty  were  Chi- 
nese, principally  burglaries,  grand  larcenies,  and  murders 
— chiefly  burglary.       They  are    very  adroit    and  expert 


46  REPORT   OF   SPECIAL   COMMITTEE 

thieves.  I  have  not  had  time  to  examine  for  the  last  two 
and  a  half  years,  but  the  proportion  has  largely  increased 
during  that  time." 

Q. — "  Do  you  find  any  difficulty  in  the  administration 
of  justice  where  they  are  concerned  ?  " 

A. — "Yes,  sir.  In  capital  cases,  particularly,  we  are  met 
with  perjury.  I  have  no  doubt  but  that  they  act  under 
the  direction  of  superiors,  and  swear  as  ordered.  In 
many  cases  witnesses  are  spirited  away,  or  alibis  are 
proven.  They  can  produce  so  many  witnesses  as  to  cre- 
ate a  doubt  in  the  minds  of  jurymen,  and  thus  escape  jus- 
tice. In  cases  where  I  have  four  or  five  witnesses  for  the 
prosecution  they  will  bring  in  ten  or  fifteen  on  the  part 
of  the  defense.  They  seem  to  think  that  numbers  must 
succeed,  and  it  very  frequently  so  happens.  It  frequently 
occurs  that  before  the  Grand  Jury,  or  on  preliminary 
examination,  witnesses  swear  so  as  to  convict,  but  on  the 
trial  they  turn  square  around  and  swear  the  other  way.  I 
have  heard  it  said  that  they  have  secret  tribunals  where 
they  settle  all  these  things,  but  I  know  nothing  of  that. 
It  is  my  impression  that  something  of  the  kind  exists,  and 
I  think  they  sometimes  use  our  Courts  to  enforce  their 
decrees.  I  have  had  to  appeal  to  Executive  clemency  for 
pardon  for  Chinamen  sent  to  the  State  Prison  by  false 
swearing,  under  circumstances  which  led  me  to  believe 
them  to  have  been  the  victims  of  some  organization  of 
that  kind." 

Q. — "  Innocent  men  can  be  convicted?" 

A. — "  Yes  ;  and  I  have  no  doubt  innocent  men  are  con- 
victed through  the  medium  of  perjury  and  'jobs'  fixed 
up  on  them.  I  have  had  doubts,  during  the  last  three 
months,  in  cases  of  magnitude,  involving  long  terms  of 
imprisonment. " 

Q. — "  Among  reputable  lawyers  of  this  city,  who  have 
had  experience  with  Chinese  testimony  in  the  Courts,  what 
value  has  that  testimony,  standing  by  itself '?  " 

A. — "  By  itself,  and  without  being  corroborated  by  ex- 
trinsic facts  or  white  testimony,  it  is  very  unreliable." 

Mr.  Ellis,  Chief  of  Police  of  the  City  of  San  Fran- 
cisco, and  who  has  been  attached  to  the  Police  force  of 
that  city  for  twenty  years,  testifies  as    follows,    (Evidence, 

E.  112)  :    **  That  it  is  generally  believed   that  the   Chinese 
ave  a  court  where  differences  are  settled  ;  and  that  if,  in 


BOARD  OP  SUPERVISORS.  47 

secret,  it  determines  to  convict  or  acquit  a  Chinaman  (on 
trial  before  our  Courts)  tliat  judgment  is  carried  out.  In 
a  great  many  cases  I  believe  they  have  convicted  innocent 
men  upon  perjured  evidence." 

Mr.  Charles  T.  Jones,  who  for  several  years  past  has 
been  the  able  and  efficient  District  Attorney  of  Sacra- 
mento County  (the  county  in  which  is  located  our  State 
Capitol),  testifies  as  follows,  (Evidence,  pp.  124  and  125) : 

A. — "  During  my  term  of  office  I  have  had  considerable  to 
do  with  Chinese  criminals,  and  always  have  great  difficulty  in 
convicting  them  of  any  crime.  I  remember  well  the  case  of 
Ah  Quong,  spoken  of  a  few  moments  ago  by  Ah  Dan.  At 
the  time  I  was  defending  three  parties  charged  with  kidnap- 
ping, and  I  had  Ah  Quong  as  interpreter,  knowing  him  to  be 
honest  and  capable.  The  circumstances  of  the  case  were 
these:  A  Chinaman  wanted  to  marry  a  woman  then  in  a 
house  of  prostitution.  She  desired  to  marry  him,  and  he 
went  with  two  of  his  friends  to  the  house.  She  went  with 
them.  They  drove  out  of  toVn  to  get  married,  when  the 
Chinaman  who  owned  her  heard  of  it  and  started  some 
officers  after  her.  She  was  arrested  and  surrendered  to 
these  Chinamen,  with  instructions  to  bring  her  into  Court 
next  day.  I  had  this  man  to  interpret  for  me,  being  well 
satisfied  that  she  would  swear  that  she  was  not  being  kid- 
napped. The  nest  day  the  owners  brought  into  Court  a 
woman  whom  the  defendants  informed  me  was  not  the  one  at 
all,  but  another.  The  attorneys  for  the  other  side  insisted 
that  it  was,  believing  the  statements  of  their  Chinamen  to 
that  effect.  The  case  was  postponed  for  two  or  three  days, 
when  it  was  shown  that  the  woman  offered  was  not  the  one 
taken  away.  This  interpreter  told  me  they  would  kill  him 
as  sure  as  these  defendants  were  not  convicted.  We  went 
out  of  the  Court-room,  and  he  told  me  he  was  afraid  to  go 
on  I  street.  I  told  him  not  to  go  then,  but  I  did  not  think 
they  would  trouble  him.  HaK  an  hour  afterwards  he  was 
brought  back,  shot  in  the  back,  and  a  hatchet  having  been 
used  on  him  mutilated  him  terribly.  This  was  in  broad 
daylight,  about  eleven  o'clock  in  the  morning,  on  Third  and 
I  streets,  one  of  the  most  public  places  in  the  City  of  Sac- 
ramento. There  were  hundreds  of  Chinese  around  there  at 
the  time;  but  it  was  difficult,  in  the  prosecution  of  the  case, 
to  get  any  Chinese  testimony  at  all.  It  happened  that  there 
were  a  few  white   men  passing  at   the   time,  and  we  were 


48  BEPORT  OF  SPEOIAIj  COMMITTEE 

enabled  to  identify  two  men,  and  tliey  were  convicted  and 
sent  to  the  State  Prison  for  life,  after  three  trials.  They 
attempted  to  prove  an  alibi,  and  after  swearing  a  large  lot 
of  Chinamen  they  said  they  had  twenty  more.  The  Chinese 
use  the  Courts  to  gain  possession  of  women.  Sometimes  it 
happens  that  where  a  man  is  married  to  a  woman  they  get 
out  a  warrant  for  his  arrest,  and  before  he  can  get  bail  they 
have  stolen  the  woman  and  carried  her  off  to  some  distant 
place.  I  have  had  Chinamen  come  to  me  to  find  out  how 
many  witnesses  I  had  in  cases.  If  they  found  out,  they 
would  get  sufficient  testimony  to  override  me.  Before  I  was 
District  Attorney  I  have  had  Chinese  come  to  me  to  defend 
them,  and  ask  me  how  many  witnesses  I  wanted,  and  what 
was  necessary  to  prove  in  order  to  acquit. 

Q. — "Do  you  often  find  that  upon  preliminary  examina- 
tions and  before  the  Grand  Jury  there  is  enough  testimony 
to  warrant  a  conviction,  but  on  the  trial  these  same  wit- 
nesses swear  to  an  exactly  opposite  state  of  facts  ?" 

A. — "  Very  frequently. "      « 

Q.— "  To  what  do  you  attribute  that?" 

A. — "I  attribute  that  to  the  fact  that  they  had  tried  the 
case  in  Chinese  Courts,  where  it  had  been  finally  settled.  I 
have  records  in  my  office  of  a  Chinese  tribunal  of  that  kind, 
where  they  tried  offenders  according  to  their  own  rules, 
meted  out  what  punishment  they  thought  proper,  etc.  These 
records  were  captured  in  a  room  on  I  street,  between  Fourth 
and  Fifth.  I  had  them  translated  by  an  interpreter  from 
San  Francisco,  and  used  them  on  the  trial  of  the  robbery 
cases.  The  records  recite  that  the  members  enter  into  a 
solemn  compact  not  to  enter  into  partnership  with  a  for- 
eigner; that  a  certain  man  did  so,  and  the  company  offers  so 
many  round  dollars  to  the  man  who  will  kill  him.  They 
promise  to  furnish  a  man  to  assist  the  murderer,  and  they  also 
promise,  if  he  is  arrested,  they  will  employ  able  counsel  to 
defend  him.  If  convicted,  he  should  receive,  I  think,  three 
dollars  for  every  day  he  would  be  confined,  and  in  case  he 
died,  certain  money  would  be  sent  to  his  relatives.  These 
records  appeared  in  evidence  and  were  admitted;  also,  a 
poster  that  was  taken  from  a  house,  offering  a  reward  for  the 
killing  of  this  man.  This  poster  was  placed  on  a  house  in  a 
public  street.  Being  written  in  Chinese,  of  course  they 
alone  knew  its  contents,  and  informed  us  of  them. 


BOAED   OF   SDPERVISOES.  49 

Mat.  Karcher,  for  many  years  past  Chief  of  Police  for  the 
City  of  Sacramento,  testifies  as  follows.  (Evidence,  pp.  128 
and  129) : 

Q. — "Do  you  know  anything  about  their  putting  up 
offers  of  rewards  upon  walls  and  street  corners,  written  in 
Chinese,  for  the  murder  or  assassination  of  given  China- 
men ?" 

A. — "Yes.  Of  course  I  could  not  read  Chinese,  but  I 
secured  some  of  these  posters,  and  had  an  interpreter  from 
San  Francisco  come  up  here  and  interpret  them.  They 
were  rewards  for  the  murder  of  some  Chinamen  who  did 
something  contrarj'  to  their  laws.  They  have  their  own 
tribunals,  where  they  try  Chinamen,  and  their  own  laws  to 
govern  them.  In  this  way  the  administration  of  justice  is 
often  defeated  entirelj^,  or,  at  least,  to  a  very  great  extent.  I 
know  this,  because  I  was  present  at  a  meeting  of  one  of  their 
tribunals  about  seven  years  ago.  There  was  some  thirty  or 
forty  Chinamen  there,  one  appearing  to  act  as  Judge. 
Finally,  the  fellow  on  trial  was  convicted  and  had  to  pay  so 
much  money,  as  a  fine  for  the  commission  of  the  offense  with 
with  which  he  was  charged.  Generally,  their  punishments 
are  in  the  nature  of  fines;  but  sometimes  they  sentence  the 
defendant  to  death.  In  cases  in  the  Police  Court  we  have 
often  found  it  difficult  to  make  interpreters  act.  They  would 
tell  us  that  they  would  be  killed  if  they  sjDoke  the  truth;  that 
their  tribunals  would  sentence  them  to  death,  and  pay  assas- 
sins to  dispatch  them.  About  two  years  and  a  half  or  three 
years  ago  Ah  Quong  was  killed.  During  the  trial,  at  which 
he  was  interpreter,  there  were  a  great  many  Chinamen.  I 
stationed  officers  at  the  doors,  and  then  caused  each  one  to 
be  searched  as  he  came  out  of  the  room,  the  interpreter  hav- 
ing told  me  that  he  feared  they  would  murder  him.  Upon 
these  Chinamen  I  found  all  sorts  of  weapons — hatchets,  pis- 
tols, bowie-knives,  Chinese  swords,  and  many  others.  There 
were  forty-five  weapons  in  all,  I  think,  concealed  about 
their  persons  in  all  kinds  of  ways.  The  interpreter  testified 
in  that  case,  and  half  an  hour  after  leaving  the  Court-room 
he  was  brought  back,  shot,  and  cut  with  hatchets.  He  was 
terribly  mutilated,  and  lived  only  a  few  moments  after  being 
brought  to  the  station-house.  The  murderers  were  arrested, 
but  attempted  to  prove  an  alibi,  and  had  a  host  of  Chinese 
witnesses  present  for  that  purpose.  Although  there  were 
some  hundreds  of  Chinese  present  at  the  time  of  the  mui'der, 

12 


50  REPORT   OF    SPECIAL  COMMITTEE 

the  prosecution  was  forced  to  rely  upon  the  evidence  of  a 
few  white  men  who  chanced  to  see  the  deed  committed.  We 
were  opposed  at  every  turn  by  the  Chinamen  and  the 
Chinese  companies.  As  a  general  thing  it  is  utterly  impos- 
sible to  enforce  the  laws  with  any  certainty  against  those 
people,  while  they  will  themselves  use  our  laws  to  persecute 
innocent  men  who  have  gained  their  enmity.  They  seem  to 
have  no  idea  concerning  the  moral  obligation  of  an  oath,  and 
care  not  for  our  form  of  swearing." 

Mr.  Ellis,  Chief  of  Police  for  San  Francisco,  testified  as 
follows.     (Evidence,  p.  112) : 

Q. — "  What  are  the  difficulties  in  the  way  of  enforcing 
laws  in  cases  where  the  Chinese  are  concerned  ?" 

A. — "The  Chinese  will  swear  to  anything,  according  to 
orders.  Their  testimony  is  so  unreliable  that  they  cannot  be 
believed." 

Q. — "  What  is  the  greatest  difficulty  in  the  way  of  sup- 
pressing prostitution  and  gambling  ?" 

A. — "To  suppress  these  vices  would  require  a  police 
force  so  great  that  the  city  could  not  stand  the  expense.  It 
is  difficult  to  administer  justice,  because  we  do  not  under- 
stand their  language,  and  thus  all  combine  to  defeat  the 
laws." 

Q. — "What  is  their  custom  of  settling  cases  among 
themselves,  and  then  refusing  to  furnish  testimony  ?" 

A. — "  It  is  generally  believed  to  be  true  that  the  Chinese 
have  a  Court  of  Arbitration  where  they  settle  differences." 

Q. — "  After  this  settlement  is  made,  is  it  possible  to  ob- 
tain testimony  from  the  Chinese?" 

A. — "  If  in  secret  they  determine  to  convict  a  Chinaman, 
or  to  acquit  him,  that  judgment  is  carried  out.  In  a  great 
many  cases  I  believe  they  have  convicted  innocent  men 
through  perjured  evidence." 

Mr.  Davis  Louderback,  for  several  years  past  Judge  of 
the  Police  Court  of  San  Francisco,  testifies  as  follows.  (Evi- 
dence, p.  93) : 

Q. — "  What  do  you  know  about  the  habits,  customs,  and 
social  and  moral  status  of  the  Chinese  population  of  this 
city?" 

A. — "I  think  they  are  a  very  immoral,  mean,  menda- 
cious, dishonest,  thieving  people,  as  a  general  thing ." 


BOAED    OF    SUPERVISORS  51 

Q. — "What  aj-e  the  difficulties  in  the  way  of  the  admin- 
istration of  justice  where  they  are  concerned?" 

A. — "  As  witnesses,  their  veracity  is  of  the  lowest  degree. 
They  do  not  appear  to  realize  the  sanctity  of  an  oath,  and  it 
is  difficult  to  enforce  the  laws  where  they  are  concerned,  for 
that  reason.  They  are  very  apt,  in  all  cases  and  under  all 
circumstances,  to  resort  to  perjury  and  the  subornation  of 
perjury.  They  also  use  our  criminal  law  to  revenge  them- 
selves upon  their  enemies,  and  malicious  prosecutions  are 
frequent." 

An  Chung  testified : 

Q. — "What  do  the  Chinamen  do  with  anybody  who  tes- 
tifies in  Court  against  the  women  ?" 

A. — Ah  Geo,  Wong  Woon,  and  Ah  Fook  put  up  money 
to  kill  him." 

Q. — "Do  you  know  whether  any  paper  is  ever  put  up 
offering  money  to  kill  Chinamen  ?" 

A. — "  Yes.     I  saw  them." 

Q. — "  Have  they  threatened  to  kill  you  if  you  testify  ?" 

A. — "  Yes.     I  am  a  little  scared." 

Q.— "  What  are  you  afraid  of  ?" 

A. — "Afraid  shoot  me." 

Q. — "  Do  you  know  of  anybody  being  killed?" 

A.— "Yes." 

Q.—"  What  for  ?" 

A. — "  One  boy  he  testify  against  women,  and  they  kill 
him  with  a  knife." 

Ah  Gow  sworn. 

Mr.  Haymond — "  Can  you  speak  English  V" 

A.— "Yes,  sir." 


Q 

A 

Q 

A 

Q 

A 

Q 

A 

Q 

A 

Q 

A. 


"  How  long  have  you  been  in  San  Francisco?" 
— "  One  year." 
— "  How  long  in  California?" 
— "  Three  years." 
— "  Where  have  you  lived  ?" 
—"  At  Half-moon  Bay." 
— *  'What  did  you  work  at  ?" 
— "  Making  cigars." 
—"  For  white  people  ?" 
— "No;  for  a  Chinaman — Ah  Wah." 
— "To  what  company  do  you  belong?" 
— "  Ning-yeung." 


62  REPORT   OF   SPECIAL   COMMITTEE 

Q. — "Do  you  know  anything  about  threats  being  made 
against  Chinamen  for  testifying  in  the  American  Courts  ?" 

A. — "Ah  Geo,  Bi  Chee,  and  Wong  Woon  say  they 
shoot  me." 

Q.—"  What  for  ?" 

A. — "They  say  I  pick  out  prostitutes  in  Court." 

Q. — "  Are  you  a  witness  now  ?" 

A.— "Yes,  sir." 

Q. — "  Do  they  threaten  to  shoot  you  if  you  tell  ihe 
truth?" 

A.— "  Tes,  sir." 

Q. — "Do  you  know  anything  aboui  notices  being  posted 
up  offering  rewards  for  killing  men  ?" 

A. — "  Yes.     I  have  seen  thera." 

Ah  Dan  sworn. 

3Ir.  Haymond — "How  long  have  you  been  in  California?" 

A. — "Almost  ten  years." 

Q. — "  From  what  part  of  China  did  you  come  ?" 

A.~"  Back  of  Canton." 

Q. — " How  old  are  you  now?" 

A. — "  f  believe  I  am  twenty-eight." 

Q. — "  What  have  you  been  doing  since  you  came  to  Cali- 
fornia ?" 

A. — "Cooking  in  kitchens  and  working  in  restaurants." 

Q. — "Have  you  been  living  with  Americans  most  of  the 
time?" 

A.— "Tes,  sir." 

Q. — "Have  you  ever  been  interpreter  in  the  Police 
Court?" 

A.— "Yes,  sir." 

Q. — "Have  you  any  fears  about  testifying  here  and 
telling  all  you  know  ?    Are  you  afraid  ?" 

A. — "I  ain't  much  afraid.  I  came  up  here  to  swear,  and 
I  must  tell  all  I  know." 

Q. — "  Have  ever  any  threats  been  made  against  you  for 
testifying  in  the  Police  Court,  or  for  interpreting  truly  ?" 

A. — "Yes,  sir;  I  am  afraid  because  Chinamen  got  too 
much  to  gas  about.  Because  one  got  convicted  he  think  it 
all  a  put  up  job  by  me.  In  Sacramento  City  two  interpreters 
killed." 

Q. — "  You  say  there  were  two  interpreters  killed  in  Sac- 
ramento ?" 


BOAKD   OF   SUPERVISORS.  53 

A. — "Yes,  sir;  one  was  Ah  Quong,  and  one  Ah  Oow." 

Q.—"  How  long  ago  ?" 

A. — "I  wasn't  in  California  the  first  oner;  Ah  Quong, 
two  years  ago." 

Q.— "  What  was  he  killed  for?" 

A. — "Because  he  interpreted  in  Court.  Chinamen 
thought  he  ought  to  have  American  man  get  Chinaman  clear. 
They  thought  he  had  power  to  do  it;  but  he  couldn't  do  it, 
and  they  killed  him." 

Q. — "If  you  are  interpreting  in  Court,  and  you  don't  get 
a  man  clear,  will  they  kill  you  ?" 

A. — "  No,  sir;  I  am  not  afraid  when  I  do  what  is  right." 

Q. — "  Have  they  threatened  to  kill  you  when  you  did  not 
get  Chinamen  clear?" 

A. — "No;  not  yet.  Sometimes  they  get  talking  on  the 
street  about  gambling-houses  on  I  street,  and  Chinamen 
blame  me  for  stopping  them." 

Q. — "  What   do   they   threaten   to   do — threaten  to  kill 

you?" 

A. — "Talking  about  killing  me." 

Q. — "  Do  you  know  District  Attorney  Jones  ?" 

A. — "Yes,  sir." 

Q. — "Did  you  tell  him  last  week  that  some  of  them 
threatened  to  kill  you  ?" 

A. — "  Yes,  sir;  some  of  them.  A  man  came  to  me  a  few 
days  ago  and  told  me  they  were  going  to  kill  a  Police  Court 
interpreter,  advising  me  to  leave  the  city,  because  he  said 
somebody  would  come  and  kill  me;  some  men  had  put  up 
rewards,  and  some  men  whom  I  did  not  know  were  coming 
from  San  Francisco  to  kill  me.  I  was  before  the  Grand 
Jury  and  explained  the  game  of  "  tan,"  and  for  this  they  put 
up  a  reward,  and  I  am  to  be  killed  by  three  men  from  San 
Francisco  I  don't  know.  The  reward  offered  for  my  life  is 
five  or  six  hundred  dollars.  I  have  heard  of  rewards  of  this 
kind  being  put  here  and  elsewhere.  I  have  not  seen  any 
here,  but  have  in  San  Francisco.  They  are  in  Chinese,  and 
posted  up,  saying  that  these  men  will  make  agreement,  if 
some  man  kill  another,  to  pay  the  murderer  so  much  money. 
These  agreements  for  murder  are  red  papers  written  in 
Chinese,  and  say  they  will  give  so  much  money  on  condition 
you  kill  so-and-so,  naming  the  person.  If  the  murderer  is 
arrested,  they  will  get  good  counsel  to  defend  him.  If  he  is 
sent  to  prison,  they  will  pay  him  so  much  money  to  recom- 


64:  EEPORT   OF   SPECIAL  COMMITTEE 

pense  liim,  and  if  he  is  hung  they  will  send  so  much  money 
to  his  relatives  in  China." 

Q. — "Did  you  go  to  officer  Jackson  and  ask  him  not  to 
subpoena  you,  if  he  could  help  it,  in  the  Hung  Hi  case  ?" 

A. — "Yes.  I  said  to  him,  'I  don't  know  about  the  case. 
If  you  put  me  on  the  stand,  and  it  don't  go  as  they  want  it, 
they  will  blame  me.' " 

Q. — "Didn't  you  tell  him.  you  were  afraid  they  would 
kill  you?" 

A.—"  I  did  tell  him  so." 

Q. — "  You  were  afraid  ?" 

A. — "Yes,  sir.  I  told  Charley  O'Neil  some  put  up 
money  to  kill  me.  He  told  me  not  to  fear — to  keep  a  look- 
out for  myself.  In  case  I  testify  here  to  all  I  know,  I'm 
afraid  they  will  kill  me." 

Lem  Schaum,  a  Christian  Chinaman,  educated  and 
speaking  English  well,  testified  before  the  Committee  as 
follows: 

Q. — "  Do  you  know  anything  about  notices  of  rewards 
being  posted  up  in  Chinese  quarters  in  Ran  Francisco  or 
here  for  the  punishment  of  certain  men — a  notice  of  this 
kind :  '  Five  hundred  dollars  or  six  hundred  dollars  will  be 
given  for  the  assassination  or  murder  of  some  Chinaman  ?'  " 

A. — "I  do.  That  is  a  Chinese  custom.  When  mem- 
bers of  a  company  do  anything  against  the  rules  of  that 
company  they  are  punished.  Suppose  one  member  of  a 
company  comes  to  me  and  says,  'Go  and  steal  a  woman 
from  a  Chinaman,'  and  I  do  so  for  him.  Because  I  favor 
him,  his  enemies  prove  I  stole  the  woman,  and  put  up  a 
reward  of  five  hundred  or  one  thousand  dollars  to  have  me 
killed.     That  is  the  way  they  do." 

Q. — "  Do  they  post  their  reward  up  publicly?" 

A. — "1  think  not.     I  think  they  do  that  in  secret." 

Q. — "Has  it  been  your  experience  that  these  secret 
judgments  were  carried  into  execution  ?" 

A. — "They  pop  it  to  you  every  time." 

Q. — "Almost  every  time  a  judgment  is  entered  that  a  man 
shall  die,  and  they  offer  so  much  money  to  have  him  killed, 
he  is  killed  ?" 

A.— "Exactly." 

Q. — "They  take  every  advantage?" 

A.— "Yes,  sir." 


BOARD   OF  SUPERVISORS.  65 

Q. — "That  is  regarded  as  a  death  sentence?" 

A. — "  Yes,  sir.  The  man  knows  he  has  to  die,  but  gets 
cmt  of  the  way  if  he  can." 

Q. — "That  makes  it  difficult  for  any  Chinaman,  if  he  is 
so  disposed,  to  protect  women  ?" 

A.— "Tes,  sir." 

Q, — "  If  a  Chinaman  takes  a  woman  to  the  Mission,  that 
sort  of  a  reward  will  be  offered  ?" 

A. — "Yes,  sir;  most  likely." 

Q. — "  Do  you  know  of  their  custom  of  settling  cases  that 
get  into  the  courts?  For  instance,  a  Chinaman  is  arrested 
for  kidnapping  one  of  these  women.  Do  you  know  anything 
about  their  settling  that  among  themselves  and  keeping  the 
testimony  away  from  the  courts  ?" 

A.—"  I  believe  they  do  that." 

Q. — "They  have  some  sort  of  a  tribunal  in  which  they 
settle  this  thing  for  themselves  ?" 

A. — "  Yes,  sir." 

Q, — "Have  they  a  tribunal  which  punishes  offences 
against  their  customs  ?" 

A. — "Yes,  sir.  For  instance,  suppose  I  should  march 
myself  out  and  kill  a  Chinaman.  I  am  brought  before  the 
Company  and  made  to  pay  a  fine.  They  take  the  money 
and  send  it  back  to  the  family  of  the  killed  party  to  support 
his  mother." 

Q. — "If  you  kill  a  member  of  the  See  Yup  Company,  the 
See  Yup  Company  will  determine,  through  this  tribunal, 
that  you  shall  pay  so  much  money  ?" 

A.— "Yes,  sir." 

Q. — " Suppose  you  pay  that  money?" 

A.—"  Then  I  will  be  all  right." 

Q. — "  They  would  not  try  to  punish  you  by  law?" 

A.— "No,  sir." 

Q. — "  Suppose  you  refuse  to  pay  the  money  ?" 

A. — "  I  must  go  through  the  American  courts." 

Q. — "  And  they  will  convict  you?" 

A.~"  Exactly." 

Q. — "If  you  do  pay  the  money  they  will  protect  you 
against  the  American  laws  ?" 

A. — "  They  let  the  whole  matter  drop." 

Q. — "And  keep  witnesses  out  of  the  way  ?" 

A.— "Yes,  sir." 

Q. — "  Is  it  impossible,  then,  to  administer  justice,  under 


56  EEPORT    OF   SPECIAL   COMMITTEE 

our  laws,  to  this  Chinese  population  ?" 
A. — "Exactly;  it  is  impossible." 

Charles  P,  O'Neil,  twenty  years  a  policeman  in  Sacra- 
mento, testified  upon  the  same  occasion  as  follows : 

Q. — "  Do  you  know  anything  about  the  murder  of  the 
first  interpreter  ?" 

A. — "Yes,  sir.  He  belonged  to  the  Ning  Teung  Com- 
pany, which  broke  off  from  the  See  Yup  Company.  He  was 
considered  as  a  pretty  bad  sort  of  man,  for  he  was  going 
after  some  Chinamen  pretty  lively.  He  was  in  the  habit  of 
assisting  to  make  convictions,  trumping  up  false  charges, 
etc." 

Q. — "  How  do  you  know  they  were  false?" 

A. — "  They  proved  to  be  so  afterwards." 

Q. — "  How  was  he  removed?" 

A. — "  They  sent  to  China  for  a  man  to  come  here  and 
kill  him.  Letters  were  sent  to  this  Chinaman  at  Folsom, 
where  he  was  living,  and  also  telegraphic  dispatches,  warn- 
ing him  that  he  was  to  be  murdered.  He  immediately  came 
to  Sacramento  City  and  went  into  a  gambling  house.  He 
was  sitting  down,  leaning  over  the  table,  and  this  man  that 
was  to  kill  him  was  standing  opposite.  This  fellow  walked 
behind  the  interpreter  and  shot  him.  As  he  fell  he  shot 
him  a  second  time  and  then  walked  into  the  street.  This 
was  about  six  o'clock  in  the  evening.  He  walked  about 
forty  steps  up  the  street.  He  then  crossed  the  street  and 
walked  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet  further.  Then  he 
threw  his  pistol  in  a  doorway  and  went  probably  seventy- 
five  feet  further,  and  jumped  down  into  a  yard  and  disap- 
peared. He  went  to  China  and  was  there  pretty  near  y  a 
year,  when  he  came  back  and  died  in  San  Francisco,  just 
about  the  time  we  discovered  his  whereabouts.  Before  he 
did  this  kiting  he  had  gone  to  China.  He  was  then  sent  for 
by  the  com  panics  and  came  back.  He  was  in  this  State 
only  three  or  four  days  when  he  killed  his  man." 

Q. — "  What  reason  had  they  for  wanting  this  man  mur- 
dered ?" 

A. — "There  was  a  white  man  murdered  in  Amador 
County  by  some  Chinese  in  his  employ.  He  was  a  Mr. 
Griswold, "  a  wealthy  ditch  owner.  The  Chinese  fled  to 
Marysville.  Ah  Gow,  the  interpreter,  was  living  there  then, 
and  he  went  to  white  men  and  said :  '  The  murderers  of  Mr. 
Griswold  are  in  a   wash-house   across   the   street.      Arrest 


BOAED   OF   SUPEEYISOES.  57 

them  and  -we  will  make  the  reward.'  The  men  were  arrested, 
taken  to  Amador  County  and  hung.  That  was  why  Ah  Gow 
was  killed." 

Q. — "  Do  you  know  what  company  brought  this  man 
out?" 

A. — "No,  sir.  I  only  learned  that  from  the  Chinese  a 
year  after  the  murderer  left.  The  head  of  one  of  the  com- 
panies in  San  Francisco  was  arrested  for  conspiracy  and 
brought  to  Sacramento.  On  the  preliminary  examination 
he  was  discharged.  He  was  a  very  old  man,  and  was  the 
man  who  presided  at  the  meeting  at  which  the  reward  was 
offered  for  the  murder." 

Q.—"  When  was  this?" 

A. — "  Twelve  years  or  more  ago.  Professional  fighters 
are  in  the  constant  employ  of  the  companies.  These  fighters 
committed  several  murders  here  some  time  ago,  but  we  could 
not  catch  them.  Several  were  arrested,  but  nothing  could 
be  proved.  The  Chinese  told  me  they  had  settled  the  thing 
in  their  own  tribunals,  and  that  ended  it." 

F.  L.  Gordon  testified  that  he  had  for  some  years  been 
publishing  a  Chinese  newspaper.  He  knew  of  cases  where 
men  had  been  hired  to  kill  others. 

' '  The  first  was  Ah  Suey,  a  member  of  the  Wang-Tung- 
Sing  Society.  He  did  something  contrary  to  their  rules  in 
regard  to  the  collection  of  money.  I  was  in  Ah  Suey's 
house  the  very  day  he  was  killed.  He  knew  there  was  a  re- 
ward offered  for  his  death  and  he  had  not  gone  out  for  some 
days.  He  told  me  he  was  going  to  collect  some  money  and 
would  go  to  China  in  a  sailing  vessel.  I  told  him  I  heard 
there  was  a  reward  offered  for  his  death  and  he  had  better 
look  out.  During  the  day  he  went  into  Washington  alley 
thirty  or  forty  feet,  when  he  was  shot  in  the  back  and 
instantly  killed." 

Q.— "  Who  offered  the  reward?" 

A. — "I  heard  that  the  society  offered  it.  I  think  the 
amount  offered  was  eight  hundred  dollars." 

Q. — "Have  you  seen  rewards  of  that  kind  posted  up  ?" 

A. — "Yes,  sir  ;  they  are  written  on  red  paper." 

Q. — "  Mention  some  other  cases." 

A. — "  A  Chinaman  on  Jackson  street  was  sent  for  by 
Chinamen,  to  whom  he  had  loaned  money,  and  was  told  that 
if  he  would  go  to  a  certain  room  on  Jackson  street  they 
would  pay  him.  Two  men  waited  for  him  there  and  they 
killed  him." 


68  BEPORT  OF   SPECIAL   COMMITTEE 

Q. — ""Was  there  any  evidence  of  a  reward  having  been 
offered  for  his  death  ?" 

A. — "I  heard  it  spoken  of  in  this  way  before  it  hap- 
pened :  That  there  would  be  money  paid  for  his  death.  I 
was  in  a  house  two  days  before  the  killing  and  there  heard 
the  matter  spoken  of.  I  am  perfectly  satisfied  that  Lis  death 
was  the  result  of  a  reward." 

In  all  these  evidences  of  unpunished  crime  perpetrated 
by  the  Chinese  in  Caliiornia,  in  these  evidences  of  a  pre- 
vailing system  of  murder  encouraged  and  sanctioned  by 
their  companies,  tribunals  or  societies,  we  are,  of  course, 
but  repeating  what  has  been  told  before  and  with  which  the 
public  have  heretofore  been  made  familiar.  Grouped  in  this 
manner  and  in  this  connection,  more  concisely  stated  than 
when  scattered  through  a  volume  of  reports  of  investigations 
which  cover  a  wide  variety  of  questions,  it  is  equally  as 
valuable  as  any  new  testimony  of  a  similar  character  would 
be  for  our  present  purposes.  These  purposes  are  to  con- 
vince the  Board  and  the  people  of  the  nation  that 
these  people  are  born  and  reared  in  savagery  as 
well  as  vice,  and  that  there  is  no  grade  of  crime 
that  they  cannot  and  will  not  perpetrate  for  hire,  our  laws 
and  our  officers  of  the  law  being  meanwhile,  in  most  in- 
stances, powerless  to  prevent  or  to  bring  them  to  punish- 
ment. In  itself  alone  it  is  good  and  sufficient  reason  why 
they  should  be  shut  out  from  coming  to  and  living  upon 
American  soil.  Add  it  to  the  long  list  of  other  equally 
forcible  reasons,  it  leaves  the  pro-Chinese  advocate  without 
a  shadow  of  argument  to  longer  continue  the  controversy  in- 
volved in  the  Chinese  immigration  question . 

The   Chinese   Children    and  the  Public  Schools. 

We  have  shown  that  there  are  722  children  of  Chinese 
parentage  in  Chinatown.  Most  if  not  all  of  these  were 
born  here,  and  are  to  all  intents  and  purposes  "native 
Americans."    Though  "native  "  they  are  not  "  to  the  manner 


BOARD   OF   SUPERVISOES.  59 

born,"  because  in  every  attribute  of  juvenile  life  they  are 
Mongolian,  as  much  so  as  if  born  in  the  province  of  Canton. 
The  very  exclusiveness  and  clannishness  of  the  Chinese  has 
so  far  preserved  these  children  from  contact  with  the  Cau- 
casian race,  and  not  one  word  of  English,  or  any  other  lan- 
guage than  Chinese,  can  they  articulate.  In  the  drift  of 
life  it  is  quite  possible  that  some  of  these  later  on  may  be 
brought  in  their  younger  years  sufficiently  in  contact  with 
the  English-speaking  Christian  world  to  imbibe  some  of  its 
habits  and  acquire  some  knowledge  of  the  language. 

But  what  results  will  follow  ?  Will  assimilation  begin, 
and  race  mixture  begin,  with  a  mingling  of  Caucasian  and 
Mongolian  blood,  and  a  new  addition  be  thus  made  to  the 
strain  of  American  blood  mixture  to  add  one  more  thread  to 
the  intricacy  of  the  present  race  problem  that  is  to  be 
worked  out  on  our  shores  ?  To  follow  this  inquiry  and  to 
indulge  in  speculation  on  this  point  forms  no  part  of  our 
duty  at  the  present  moment,  however  interesting  and  im- 
portant it  may  be  in  the  broad  consideration  of  the  Chinese 
question. 

The  point  is,  what  shall  we  do  with  these  Chinese  chil- 
dren born  upon  our  soil,  though  partaking  in  no  respect  of 
the  proclivities  and  habits  of  any  other  known  race  except 
those  of  their  own  progenitors  ?  And  this  opens  the  ques- 
tion that  has  often  been  agitated  as  to  their  admission  to  the 
public  schools,  and  their  right,  under  the  law,  to  share  the 
benefits  to  be  derived  from  the  public  school  fund.  We 
have  shown  that  there  is  no  distinct  line  of  demarcation — 
here  at  least — between  domestic  life  and  prostitution.  We 
have  shown  that  the  p.duted  harlots  of  the  slums  and  alleys, 
the  women  who  are  bought  and  sold  to  the  slavery  of  prostitu- 
tion, are  surrounded  by  children  in  some  instances,  and 
intermingle  freely  with  the  border  class  of  family  life  where 
other  children  abound.  We  have  shown  that  to  all  outward 
intents  and  purposes  prostitution  such  as  this,  and  with 
these  surroundings,  is  a  recognized  feature  of  the  economy 


60  EEPOKT   OF   SPECIAL   COMMITTEE 

of  Mongolian  life,  in  San  Francisco  at  least.  What,  then, 
shall  be  said  if  the  doors  of  our  schoolhouses  are  to  be 
opened  to  admit  children  reared  in  such  an  atmosphere  ? 
What,  indeed,  shall  be  said  of  the  proposition  to  educate 
them  separate  and  apart  from  children  of  other  races,  and 
how  can  we  with  consistency  deny  them  this  right?  Speak- 
ing no  language  but  the  Chinese,  born  and  nurtured  in  filth 
and  degradation,  it  is  scarcely  probable  that  any  serious 
attempt  could  be  made  to  mingle  them  with  the  other  chil- 
dren of  our  public  schools  without  kindling  a  blaze  of  revo- 
lution in  our  midst.  And  again,  by  what  right,  constitu- 
tional or  statutory,  can  we  set  apart  separate  schools  and  a 
separate  fund  for  their  education  or  maintenance  ?  And  yet 
something  must  be  done  with  them,  some  action  must  be 
taken  to  rid  them  of  their  race  proclivities  and  habits  if  we 
would  protect  posterity  from  unlimited  evil  consequences. 
Here  there  may  well  be  a  field  for  true  missionary  work  and 
a  problem  that  will  tax  the  wisdom  and  patience  of  mankind 
to  solve.  If  the  immigration  of  the  race  were  effectually 
stopped  the  riddle  would  be  less  intricate  to  deal  with.  But 
if  it  is  to  continue,  even  under  the  conditions  of  misnamed 
' '  restriction  ' '  which  at  present  exist,  how  to  deal  with  this 
constantly  increasing  number  of  Mongolian  children,  born 
and  nurtured  in  such  conditions  of  immorality  and  degra- 
dation, becomes  indeed  a  more  serious  problem  than  any 
which  the  American  people  have  ever  yet  been  called  upon 
to  solve,  not  excepting  the  abrogation  of  Airican  slavery  and 
the  horrors  which  attended  its  achievement. 

If  these  children  could  be  separated  from  their  parents 
and  scattered  among  our  own  people,  away  from  the  popu- 
lous centers,  the  question  involved  would  be  perhaps  easy  of 
adjustment.  The  laws  of  nature  and  of  men  prohibit  this, 
while  the  laws  of  morality,  and  the  law  of  self-protection, 
must  compel  our  own  people  to  sternly  prohibit  them  from 
mingling  with  our  children  in  the  public  schools,  or  as  com- 
panions and  playmates.     What,  then,  we  again  ask,  is  to  be 


BOARD   OF   SUPERVISOES.  61 

done  with  the  Chinese  children,  born  upon  our  soil,  and  that 
are  yet  to  be  born,  in  a  ratio  co-equal  in  its  increase  with  the 
increase  of  immigration  ?  To  this  inquiry  there  seems  to  be 
but  one  answer.  Chinese  immigration  must  stop! — abso- 
lutely stop ! !  For  it  is  beyond  the  ingenuity  of  men  to  deal 
fairly  with  this  phase  of  the  question,  except  by  a  reversal  of 
the  laws  of  nature.  And  a  violent  separation  of  children  from 
parents  as  fast  as  they  are  born,  and  delivering  them  over  to 
our  own  race  for  education  and  a  new  order  of  life  is  a  pro- 
position not  to  be  thought  of.  So,  then,  while  the  conclu- 
sions which  your  Committee  have  arrived  at  as  to  the  best 
method  of  dealing  with  the  Chinese  here  among  us,  and 
those  which  are  to  come  after,  as  a  local  remedy  for  the 
evils  which  their  presence  now  inflict  upon  us,  are  in  their 
judgment  wise  and  practical,  the  real  remedy  is  the  eventual 
stoppage  of  Chinese  immigration,  by  such  absolute,  autocratic 
Congressional  legislation  as  shall  make  it  physically  impos- 
sible for  the  Chinamen  to  land  upon  our  shores,  except,  per- 
haps, in  a  commercial  capacity  alone,  or  as  a  student  seeking 
the  advantages  of  our  educational  institutions.  Such  legisla- 
tion, perhaps,  cannot  be  secured  until  the  Eastern  mind  is 
educated  on  the  Chinese  question  as  have  been  the  minds  of 
the  people  upon  this  coast.  And  the  best  way  to  accomplish 
that  end  is  to  so  deal  with  the  Chinese  here  by  local  laws, 
made  to  be  enforced,  so  as  to  drive  them  from  our  midst  to 
mingle  with  Eastern  communities,  and  to  educate  them  by 
contact  with  their  presence,  as  they  have  educated  us  through 
the  same  process,  up  to  a  realizing  sense  of  the  frightfully- 
disastrous  results  growing  out  of  their  presence  among  them. 
Until  such  results  as  these  can  be  reached — be  it  at  an  early 
or  a  late  day — what  we  shall  do  with  the  Chinese  children  is 
a  question  that  may  well  rest  in  abeyance.  Meanwhile, 
guard  well  the  doors  of  our  public  schools,  that  they  do  not 
enter.  For,  however  hard  and  stern  such  a  doctrine  may 
sound,  it  is  but  the  enforcement  of  the  law  of  self-preserva- 
tion, the  inculcation  of  the  doctrine  of  true  humanity,  and  an 


62  REPORT  OF  SPECIAL   COMMITTEE 

integral  part  of  the  enforcement  of  the  iron  rule  of  right  by 
which  we  hope  presently  to  prove  that  we  can  justly  and 
practically-  defend  ourselves  from  this  invasion  of  Mongolian 
barbarism. 

The   Chinese   as    Tax-Payers. 

We  have  searched  diligently,  so  far,  to  find  some  good 
that  the  community  at  large  derives  from  the  presence  of  the 
Chinese  among  us.  We  do  not  have  to  go  far  to  ascertain 
the  fact  that,  as  a  cheap  laborer  he  is  a  source  of  profit  to  a 
few  manufacturers;  but  when  we  try  to  ascertain  how  much 
or  in  what  direction  he  contributes  to  the  material  or  moral 
welfare  of  the  community,  the  search  is  in  vain,  the  results 
nil. 

"But  surely,"  the  world  will  ask,  "  you  have  more  than 
thirty  thousand  Chinese  in  San  Francisco;  they  must  con- 
tribute a  reasonable  share  toward  the  support  of  the  govern- 
ment and  the  public  institutions  of  the  city  as  tax-payers?" 
Let  us  see  how  this  is.  And  here  again  the  evidence  is  at 
hand  in  the  respect  of  the  Legislative  Committee  already 
quoted  from.     They  say: 

Mr.  Badlam,  Assessor  of  San  Francisco,  testifies,  (Evi- 
dence, p.  82):  "The  population  of  San  Francisco  is  about 
two  hundred  and  fifty  thousand;  of  that  about  thirty  thou- 
sand are  Chinese.  The  Chinese  pay  about  one  three-thou- 
sandths part  of  the  taxes. 

"The  committee  addressed  circular  letters  to  each  County 
Assessor  in  the  State,  and  from  returns  received,  the  assessed 
value  of  all  property  real  and  personal  assessed  to  Chinese 
in  this  State  does  not  exceed  one  million  five  hundred  thou- 
sand dollars.  The  rate  of  State  tax  is  sixty-four  cents  on 
each  cue  hundred  dollars  in  value,  and  if  the  whole  tax  was 
paid,  the  revenue  derived  by  the  State  from  the  property  tax 
laid  upon  property  held  by  Chinese  would  not  exceed  nine 
thousand  six  hundred  dollars. 

"  The  assessed  value  of  all  the  property  in  the  State  is, 
in  round  numbers,  six  hundred  million. 


BOAED    OP  SUPERVISOES.  63 

"  The  total  populatioD  of  the  State  is  about  seven  hun- 
dred and  fifty  thousand,  and  the  Chinese  population  is  more 
than  one-sixth  of  the  whole  . 

"  The  Chinese  population,  amounting  to  at  least  one- 
sixth  of  the  whole  population,  pays  less  than  one  four-hun- 
dreth  part  of  the  revenue  required  to  support  the  State 
Government. 

"  The  State  appropriates  ten  thousand  dollars  per  month 
for  the  support  of  the  State  Prison,  the  earnings  of  the  pris- 
oners falling  that  much  short  of  maintaining  the  prison.  It 
will  be  seen  that  the  net  cost  to  the  State  for  each  prisoner 
is  about  thirty  cents  per  day;  and  this  without  taking  into 
consideration  the  cost  of  prison  buildings 

"The  net  cost  to  the  State  of  keeping  one  hundred  and 
ninety-eight  Chinese  prisoners  in  the  State  Prison  is  not  less 
than  twenty-one  thousand  sis  hundred  dollars  per  annum,  a 
sum  twelve  thousand  dollars  in  excess  of  the  whole  amount 
of  the  property  tax  collected  from  the  Chinese  population  of 
the  State." 

So  much  for  the  Chinaman  as  a  tax-payer.  Where,  then, 
may  we  look  to  find  a  single  good  derived  from  his  presence 
among  us  ?  It  is  a  question  your  Committee  cannot  answer, 
and  one  that  will  stagger  the  ingenuity  of  the  warmest 
admirers  and  defenders  of  the  race,  when  they  enter  upon 
the  labor  of  inquiry  in  this  direction. 

Relations  and  Responsibilities  of  Property-Owners. 

Chinatown  occupies  that  portion  of  San  Francisco  which, 
geographically  and  topographically,  is  by  far  the  fairest  and 
naturally  the  most  valuable  section  of  the  city.  It  was  the 
section  which  naturally  attracted  the  attention  of  the  early 
pioneers,  and  there  they  located  their  offices  and  their 
homes.  The  advance  guard  of  the  Mongolian  army  saw  that 
the  location  was  good,  and  they  advanced  upon  and  cap- 
tured it.  Its  capture  was  but  a  work  of  form,  for  civilization 
retreats  instinctively  from  contact  with  the  race  with  the 
same  feeling  of  horror  that  the  fair  and  innocent  maiden 
would  exhibit  in  shrinking  from  the  proffered  embrace  of  an 
unclean  leper. 


64  EEPORT   OF   SPECIAL   COMMITTEE 

Under  such  circumstances  the  property-owner  had  no 
alternative  but  to  accept  the  Mongolian  for  a  tenant  and 
make  the  best  of  the  situation.  Up  to  this  point  the  prop- 
erty-owner in  Chinatown  is  beyond  criticism.  And  when 
property-owners  on  the  outskirts  of  Chinatown  continue  to 
yield  possession  to  the  race,  as  tenants,  as  the  Chinese  can- 
cer eats  its  way  westward,  to  them  no  blame  can  attach,  for 
it  is  that  or  a  sacrifice  of  their  property  as  a  source  of  in- 
come. The  blame  for  this  condition  of  things  lies  with 
Chinese  immigration  in  itself,  for  which  the  nation,  and  not 
the  property-holder  in  San  Francisco,  is  on  trial. 

But,  as  we  proceed  further  with  the  consideration  of  this 
branch  of  the  subject,  the  property-owner  frequently  ap- 
pears in  a  less  creditable  position.  He  has  had  no  special 
reason  to  regret  the  occupation  of  his  premises  by  Chinese 
in  so  far  as  the  rate  of  revenue  derived  therefrom  is  con- 
cerned, for  that  revenue,  if  your  Committee  are  credibly 
informed,  has  been  materially  larger  than  could  have  been 
obtained  from  any  other  class  of  tenants.  When,  therefore, 
he  permits  his  premises  to  be  transformed  into  barricaded 
gambling  dens,  opium  joints,  kennels  of  prostitution  and 
sinks  of  vice  of  the  lowest  possible  description;  when  he  per. 
mits  cess-pools,  bad  connections  with  the  sewers,  or  open 
sewage  to  exist  upon  his  property,  he  becomes  particeps 
criminis  in  this  great  wrong  against  civilization,  and  should 
be  held  strictly  accountable  for  his  share  in  the  transaction. 
The  property-owner  in  Chinatown  must  be  made  to  feel  his 
responsibility  in  this  matter  before  Chinatown  can  ever  be 
brought  to  a  level  with  common  public  decency. 

Even  to-day,  while  this  is  being  written,  the  owner  of  the 
property  at  No.  806  Dupont  street  is  erecting  and  com- 
pleting a  brick  building  across  which,  upon  the  first  floor, 
25  feet  from  the  front  wall,  a  plank  partition  is  built,  three 
inches  in  thickness,  to  which  boiler  iron  three-eighths  of  an 
inch  thick  is  bolted  across  the  entire  face  of  the  partition, 
while  the  door  is  constructed  in  like  manner  with  all  the 


BOARD   OF   SUPERVISORS.  65 

adjuncts  necessary  to  enable  it  to  resist  attack  and  siege. 
Its  uses  and  purposes  are,  of  course,  to  make  secure,  in  open 
defiance  of  the  law,  the  gambling  den  that  is  to  be  run 
within. 

As  long  as  the  municipality  of  San  Francisco  tolerates 
such  abuses  and  such  violations  of  the  law,  so  long  must  we 
hold  our  peace  when  the  world  points  the  finger  of  adverse 
criticism,  and  asks :  ' '  Why  do  you  not  put  your  own  house 
in  order  in  the  matter  of  dealing  with  Chinese  before  you 
ask  the  aid  of  the  nation  to  suppress  these  wrongs  ?  " 

How  long  would  property-owners  in  any  other  part  of  the 
city  be  able  to  convert  their  buildings  into  such  citadels  of 
public  defiance  for  the  accommodation  and  defense  of  the 
faro  dealer  or  gambler  of  any  class  ?  How  long  would  pub- 
lic opinion  or  the  public  authorities  permit  such  a  state  of 
things  to  continue?  And  yet  it  has,  for  thirty  jea,rs  and 
more,  been  carried  on  with  open  impunity  in  Chinatown, 
and  the  example  of  the  iron-clad  fortification  which  we  have 
here  referred  to  is  but  one  of  the  many.  For  this  the  pro- 
perty-owner certainly  ought  to  be  held  responsible  and 
made  amenable  to  the  law. 

Thus,  with  its  filth,  its  odors,  its  vices  and  the  general 
repulsive  character  of  its  people,  Chinatown  stands  to-day  a 
barrier  against  the  advancement  of  the  city  northward  and 
westward.  It  is  the  moral  purgatory  through  which  all  must 
pass  who  inhabit,  visit,  labor  in  or  own  property  in  those 
sections  of  the  city,  out  of  which  they  do  not  pass,  however 
cleansed  by  the  contact,  but  nauseated  and  disgusted,  and 
perchance  defiled  by  Mongolian  filth  or  disease.  We  must 
look  to  the  property-owner  for  his  full  share  of  responsi- 
bility for  this  condition  of  things  and  his  fair  contribution 
toward  its  modification  and  preventionr 

13 


66  EEPOET   OF  SPECIAL  COJVOIITTEE 


CONCLUSIONS  AND  RECOMMENDATIONS. 

We  harve  thus  presented  for  your  consideration  and  for 
the  consideration  of  the  public  the  salient  features  of  the 
mode  of  life,  effect  upon  home  labor,  habits,  industries, 
vices  and  contempt  of  local  laws  of  Chinese  in  Chinatown. 
It  clearly  appears  that  the  present  and  prospective  condition 
of  things  calls  for  a  more  energetic  and  better-defined  line 
of  policy  than  San  Francisco  has  heretofore  displayed,  and 
the  adoption  and  enforcement  of  such  measures  as  will  bring 
this  people  under  the  same  control  as  that  which  is  now  ex- 
ercised over  other  citizens  generally. 

We  cannot  shut  our  eyes  to  the  fact  that  the  Treaty  and 
the  Restriction  Act  constitute  no  effectual  barrier  as  yet 
against  Chinese  immigration.  The  tide  may  not  be  flowing 
in  upon  us  as  rapidly  nor  with  the  same  volume  as  before, 
but  "the  cry  is  still  they  come,"  and  the  problem  of  Chinese 
immigration  is  not  yet  solved.  Moreover,  it  is  far  better  to 
face  the  fact  that  through  British  Columbia  on  the  north 
and  Mexico  on  the  south  the  march  of  the  Mongolian 
cannot  be  effectually  stayed,  except  by  such  Congressional 
legislation  and  such  an  expenditure  of  public  moneys  as 
shall  render  such  a  result  physically  impossible  of  accom- 
plishment; and  we  must  meet  the  issue  as  it  is  presented 
and  settle  the  question  of  how  best  to  deal  with  the  Chinaman 
when  once  he  is  among  us,  how  best  protect  ourselves  from 
the  baneful  effects  of  his  presence. 

The  right  of  protecting  ourselves,  the  right  of  holding 
the  Chinese  to  the  same  responsibilities  under  the  laws  that 
other  citizens  are  held,  cannot  be  disputed.     The  fact  that 


BOAED   OF   SUPERVISOES.  67 

the  race  is  one  that  cannot  readily  throw  off  its  habits  and 
customs,  the  fact  that  these  habits  and  customs  are  so  wide- 
ly at  variance  with  our  own,  makes  the  enforcement  of  our 
laws  and  compulsory  obedience  to  our  laws  necessarily  ob- 
noxious and  revolting  to  the  Chinese;  and  the  more  rigidly 
this  enforcement  is  insisted  upon  and  carried  out  the  less 
endurable  will  existence  be  to  them  here,  the  less  attractive 
will  life  be  to  them  in  California.  Fewer  will  come  and 
fewer  will  remain.  The  very  race  proclivities  which  we  thus 
abhor  may  be  converted  into  a  better  safeguard  against 
Chinese  immigration  than  any  law  of  Congress  or  any  treaty, 
if  these  race  proclivities  which  are  sure  to  run  counter  to 
our  laws  and  our  system  of  morals   are  held  sternly  in  check. 

at  whatever  cost  to  the  State  or  to  the  city.  

Compel  the  Chinamen,  by  municipal  laws  which  are  not 
only  enacted  but  enforced,  to  live  like  our  own  race;  prevent 
them  from  burrowing  and  crowding  together  like  vermin; 
enforce  cleanliness  in  mode  of  life;  breakup  opium  dens  and 
gambling  hells;  restrict  the  number  of  inhabitants  in  any 
given  block  in  the  city;  enforce  upon  this  people,  so  far  as 
may  be  possible  by  every  legitimate  method  that  can 
be  devised,  a  cost  of  living  that  shall  approach  as  nearly  as 
possible  that  of  the  ordinary  white  laborer.  Take  away 
from  the  Chinaman  by  such  m  thods  as  these  the  largest 
possible  part  of  the  profits  of  his  earnings  as  they  accrue 
now  from  his  present  mode  of  life,  and  thus  exhaust  every 
effort  to  bring  him  to  the  level  of  the  at  present  fearfully- 
handicapped  American  laborer,  and  California,  or  San 
Francisco,  at  least,  will  soon  cease  to  be  attractive  as  a  place 
of  abode,  and  a  less  profitable  field  of  labor  for  the  China- 
man than  it  is  at  present.     Scatter  them  by  such  a  policy  as 


/ 


68  EEPORT  OP   SPECIAL   COMMITTEE 

this  to  other  States,  and  let  other  States  take  home  to  them- 
selves the  full  measure  of  the  extent  of  the  curse  of  Chinese 
immigration,  when  they  shall  have  felt  the  evil  as  we  feel  it 
here.  Well-devised,  well-considered  and  firmly-enforced 
municipal  laws  that  will  bring  about  such  results  as  these 
will  accomplish  more  in  one  year  than  declamations  from 
the  "Sand  Lot"  and  bursts  of  public  indignation  can  accom- 
plish in  a  century. 

This  Chinese  question  is  large  enough  to  deserve  cool 
and  dispassionate  handling,  and  to  call  for  the  highest  pos- 
sible degree  of  statesmanship  in  dealing  with  it. 

So  great  an  authority  as  Baron  Alexander  Von  Hubner, 
formerly  the  Austrian  Embassador  to  France,  who  for  years 
past  has  been  traveling  around  the  world,  and  who  is  the 
author  of  several  learned  works,  recently  delivered  a  dis- 
course at  the  Oriental  Museum  in  Vienna,  of  which  the  fol- 
lowing extracts  appeared  in  the  columns  of  the  Vienna 
press  : 

"  Whoever  speaks  of  the  important  changes  on  the  face 
"  of  the  globe  must  not  allow  China  to  pass  unremarked. 
**  The  war  of  England  and  France  against  the  Celestial  Em- 
"  pire  was  an  historical  fact  of  world-wide  importance,  not 
*'  because  of  the  military  successes  achieved — the  most 
*'  famous  of  which  was  the  plunder  and  destruction  of  the 
"  imperial  Summer  Palace  at  Pekin — but  because  the  allies 
*'  cast  down  the  walls  through  which  400,000,000  of  inhabit- 
*'  ants  were  hermetically  losed  in  from  the  outside  world. 
*'  With  the  intention  of  opening  China  to  Europeans,  the 
*'  globe  has  been  thrown  open  to  the  Chinese.  Who  travels 
* '  now-a-days  through  the  interior  of  the  Flowery  Kingdom? 
**  No  one,  with  the  exception  of   the  Missionaries,  whose 


BOAED   OF   SUPEKVISORS,  69 

"  presence  was  already  tolerated  there,  and  in  addition  to 
"  these  there  are  a  few  explorers.     But  the  Chinese  are 
"  streaming  over  the  greater  part  of  the  globe  and  are  also 
"  forming  colonies,  albeit  after  their  own  fashion.     Highly 
"  gifted,  although  inferior  to  the  Caucasian  in  the   highest 
"  spheres  of  mental  activity  ;  endowed  with  untiring  indus- 
' '  try  ;  temperate  to  the  utmost  abstemiousness  ;  frugal  ;  a 
"  born  merchant  of  probity  ever  true  to  his  word ;  a  first- 
"  class  cultivator,  especially  in  gardening  ;  distinguished  in 
"  every  kind  of  handicraft,  the  son  of  the  Middle  Kingdom 
"  slowly,  surely  and  unremarked  is  supplanting  the  Euro- , 
"  peans  wherever  they  are  brought  together.     I  am  speaking 
"  of  them  only  as  I  have  found  them.     In  1871  the  entire 
"  English  trade  with  China,  amounting  then  as  now  to  <£42,- 
"  000,000   sterling,  was  transacted  through  English  firms- 
"  The  four  great  houses,  of  which  one  was  American,  were 
"  in   Shanghai,   while   the    smaller    ones  were   distributed 
"  among  the  treaty  ports.     Added  to  these  were  the  middle- 
"  men,  as  the  sale  of  English  imports  in  the  interior  of  the 
"  empire  was  effected  through  native  merchants.     In  addi- 
**  tion   to   this   the  firm  of   Russell  &   Co.   owned  twenty 
"  steamers  that  kept  up  the  commercial  intercourse  between 
"  the  treaty  ports,  extending  to  the  Yangtse  river.     Now-a- 
"  days,  with  the  exception  of  some  great  influential  English 
"  firms,  all  the  same  trade,  together  with  the  Eussell  steam- 
**  ers,  has  passed  into  the  hands  of  Chinese  merchants  or  of 
"  Chinese   corporations.     In  Macao,  since  nearly  400  years 
"  in  possession  of  the  Portuguese,  are  to  be  seen  raagnifi- 
"  cent  palaces,  some  of  which  date  from  the  sixteenth  cen- 
"  tury  ;  they  are  situated  in  the   finest   part  of   the   city, 
**  where  the  Chinese  were  not  in  the  habit  of  building;  and 


70  REPORT  OP  SPECIAL  COMMITTEE 

"  yet  the  greater  number  of  these  palaces  have  passed  by 
"  purchase  into  the  hands  of  rich  Chinese  and  are  now 
"  inhabited  by  them. 

"  On  my  first  visit  to  Singapore,  in  1871,  the  population 
"  consisted  of  100  white  families,  of  20,000  Malays  and  a 
"  few  thousand  Chinese.  On  my  return  there  in  the  begin- 
* '  ning  of  1884  the  population  was  divided,  according  to  the 
"  official  census,  into  100  white  families,  20,000  Malays  and 
"  86,000  Chinese.  A  new  Chinese  town  had  gprung  up, 
"  with  magnificent  stores,  beautiful  residences  and  pagodas. 
' '  I  imagined  that  I  was  transported  to  Canton.  The  coun- 
' '  try  lying  to  the  south  point  of  Indo-China,  which  a  few 
"  years  ago  was  almost  uninhabited,  is  now  filling  up  with 
"  Chinese.  The  number  of  the  sons  of  the  Flowery  King- 
*'  dom  who  emigrated  to  that  point  and  to  Singapore 
"  amounted  to  100,000  in  1882,  to  150,000  in  1883,  and  last 
**  year  an  important  increase  to  these  numbers  was  ex- 
*'  pected. 

"  The  Draconian  laws,  through  which  efforts  have  been 
**  made  in  California  and  Australia  to  get  rid  of  this  incon- 
"  venient  opposition,  are  well  known.  These  laws,  that 
"  stand  in  glaring  contradiction  to  the  philanthropic  princi- 
**  pies  of  equality  and  fraternity  among  all  races,  despite  of 
"  all  efforts  to  maintain  their  efficiency,  remain  a  dead-letter. 
**  I  never  met  more  Chinese  in  San  Francisco  than  I  did  last 
*'  summer,  and  in  Australia  the  Chinese  element  is  ever 
"  increasing  in  importance.  To  a  man  who  will  do  the  same 
"  work  for  half  price  all  doors  are  open.  Even  in  the  South 
"  Sea  Islands  the  influence  of  Chinese  labor  is  already  felt. 
"  The  important  trade  of  the  Gilbert  Islauds  is  in  the  hands 
"of  a  great  Chinese  firm.     On  the  Sandwich  Islands  the 


BOAED  OF   SUPEEVISOES.  71 

*'  sons  of  the  Middle  Kingdom  are  spreading  every  year. 
"  The  North  Americans,  until  now  the  rulers  of  that  island 
"  under  the  native  kings  of  Hawaii,  are  already  feeling  the 
"  earth  shake  under  their  feet,  as  in  vain  they  resist  these 
**  inroads.  All  these  things  have  I  seen  with  my  own  eyes, 
"  excepting  in  Chile  and  Peru,  countries  that  I  didn'ot  visit. 
"  From  official  documents,  however,  I  extract  the  fact  that 
"  since  1860,  200,000  Chinese  have  landed  there — an  enor- 
*'  mous  number,  considering  the  small  European  population 
**  in  those  countries. 

"Europe,  with  her  300,000,000;  China,  with  her  400,- 
**  000,000,  represent,  with  the  exception  of  India,  the  two 
**  most  overpopulated  parts  of  the  world.  Both  send  their 
*'  sons  to  foreign  climes.  They  consist  of  two  mighty 
'*  streams,  of  which  one  is  white  and  the  other  yellow.  In 
*'  tlie  annals  of  history  there  is  no  mention  of  the  migration 
**  of  such  immense  masses  of  people.  A  series  of  questions 
"  now  arises.  How  will  the  status  of  the  old  continent  be 
*'  affected  by  the  emigration  of  so  many  of  its  sons  ?  Now, 
"  suffering  from  a  plethora,  after  such  a  severe  bleeding, 
"  will  Europe  remain  in  a  full,  healthy  condition,  or,  similar 
*'  to  Spain,  will  she  lapse  into  a  state  of  anemia  ?  Who  can 
"  tell?  What  fate  is  in  store  for  the  young,  rising,  aspiring 
"  Powers  of  Central  Asia  that  are  neither  kingdoms  nor 
"  republics,  and  what  will  be  the  reactionary  effect  on  the 
"  mother  country  and  on  Europe  ?  We  do  not  know.  What 
"  will  be  the  result  of  the  meeting  of  these  white  and  yel- 
"  low  streams?  Will  they  flow  peacefully  on  parallel  lines 
"  in  their  respective  channels,  or  will  their  commingling 
"  lead  to  chaotic  events?  We  cannot  tell.  Will  Christian 
"  society  and  Christian  civilization  in  their  present  form  dis- 


72  BEPORT  or   SPECIAL   COMMITTEE 

"  appear,  or  will  they  emerge  victorious  from  the  conflict, 
"  carrying  their  living,  fruitful,  everlasting  principles  to  all 
"  the  corners  of  the  earth?  We  cannot  know.  These  are 
"  the  unsolved  problems,  the  secrets  of  the  future,  hidden 
"  within  the  womb  of  time.  What  we  now  distinguish  is 
*•  only  the  first  clangor  of  the  overture  of  the  great  drama 
"  of  the  coming  times.  The  curtain  is  not  yet  rung  up,  as 
"  the  plot  is  only  to  be  "worked  out  in  the  twentieth 
"  century." 

Such  is  the  broad,  statesmanlike  view  of  the  Chinese 
question.  It  forcibly  illustrates  how  impossible  it  is,  and 
always  will  be,  to  deal  with  it  from  the  demagogue's  stand- 
point, and  how  important  it  is  that  we  should  devise  and 
adopt  a  wiser  and  more  efficient  line  of  policy  than  that 
which  we  have  pursued  thus  far. 

The  crystalized  facts  shown  in  this  report  prove  beyond 
question  that  we  have  not  dealt  sternly  and  vigorously 
enough  with  this  question  in  the  regulation  of  our  own 
a£fairs;  and  the  proof  is,  that  by  our  own  inertness  in  dealing 
with  the  practical  side  of  the  matter  in  the  enactment  and 
enforcement  of  proper  laws  for  our  protection,  vv^e  have  per- 
mitted the  Chinese  to  become  our  masters,  instead  of  assert- 
ing and  maintaining  the  mastery  ourselves.  Let  us  look  at 
this  question  now  in  all  its  enlarged  proportions,  and  rely 
upon  our  own  self-help  to  deal  with  it  in  such  a  manner  that 
the  effects  of  our  policy  shall  be  felt  and  its  wisdom  demon- 
strated. 

Municipal  laws  that  are  made  to  be  enforced,  and  that 
are  enforced — that  shall  prohibit  any  greater  number  of  peo- 
ple from  living  on  the  space  covered  by  one  block,  for  exam- 
ple, than  now  live  on  such  space,  taking  if  you  please  the  most 


BOAED   OF   SUPERVISOES.  73 

densely  inhabited  block  outside  of  Chinatown  for  a  standard 
as  the  limit  of  the  rule ;  that  shall  embody  the  Cubic  Air  law  as 
it  at  present  stands;  that  shall  compel  the  use  of  chimneys  and 
proper  cooking  facilities;  that  shall  enforce  cleanliness  at  the 
cost  of  the  occupants;  that  shall  restrict  prostitution;  that 
shall  suppress  and  put  out  of  existence  barricaded  gambling 
dens;  that  shall  prevent  under  the  most  stringent  penalties 
the  violation  of  fire  and  sanitary  laws  of  every  description; 
that  shall,  as  a  sanitary  measure,  prevent  the  exhumation  of 
the  remains  of  deceased  persons,  except  under  a  much 
heavier  tax  than  at  present  imposed ;  that  shall  prevent  over- 
crowding in  their  theaters — will  correct  as  far  as  possible  many 
of  the  abuses  that  grow  out  of  the  presence  of  this  people,  and 
can  hardly  fail  to  drive  them  from  among  us.  Hold,  if 
necessary,  the  property-owner  responsible  for  the  over- 
crowding or  other  unlawful  use  of  his  property,  and  make 
the  penalty  imposed  for  violation  of  such  laws  a  lien  upon 
the  property  itself,  and  San  Francisco  will  soon  cease  to  be 
a  paradise  or  even  an  attractive  place  of  habitation  for  the 
Mongolian. 

Recent  decisions  of  the  Supreme  Court,  notably  in  the 
Chinese  Laundry  cases,  have  shown  conclusively  that  suffi- 
cient authority  and  power  is  vested  in  the  Board  of  Super- 
visors to  accomplish  these  results,  and  it  rests  with  the 
Board  to  say  how  it  shall  best  be  exercised. 

True  it  is  that  the  wretched  ' '  dollar  limit "  policy  again 
arrays  itself  before  us  when  any  questions  in  this  connection 
involving  increased  public  expenditures  is  presented.  But 
it  should  not  be  permitted  to  militate  against  a  discussion  of 
the  proposed  new  line  of  policy  and  the  adoption  of  such  a 
line  of  action  as  will  bring  about  its  earliest  possible  realiza- 


74  EEPORT   OF   SPECIAL  COMMITTEE 

tion  and  enforcement,  wlietlier  it  is  to  take  effect  now  or  at 
such  later  period  of  time  as  a  more  enlarged  sense  of  public 
duty  in  making  future  tax  levies  sliall  render  practicable. 
Nor  should  it  be  lost  sight  of  that  in  making  new  laws,  im- 
posing and  collecting  new  penalties,  an  enlarged  source  of 
revenue  can  and  must  be  created,  which  will  go  far  toward 
covering  all  the  expense  involved  in  the  movement.  But  the 
adoption  and  enforcement  of  the  line  of  policy  that  has  been 
suggested  will  be  cheap  at  any  cost,  and  ought  not  to  be 
objected  to  on  that  score.  Kept  in  the  worn  and  narrow  rut 
of  public  parsimony,  San  Francisco  can  never  shake  off  this 
Mongolian  vampire  that  is  now  sapping  her  vitals  any  more 
than  she  can  protect  the  public  health  and  administer  to  the 
public  necessities  generally  in  the  care  of  schools,  streets, 
etc.  With  the  adoption  of  more  liberal  ideas  and  the  exac- 
tion of  a  strict  performance  of  duty  on  the  part  of  her  public 
officers  and  representatives,  there  will  be  no  further  need  of, 
nor  occupation,  for  the  demagogue;  much  less  will  narrow- 
minded  and  mean-spirited  public  journalism  be  able  to 
shape,  control  and  mislead  public  opinion  as  it  Las  done  in 
the  past. 

When  the  nation  was  confronted  with  open  rebellion  on 
the  part  of  the  citizens  of  an  immense  area  of  its  territory, 
and  human  slavery  stood  in  the  fore-front  of  the  battle,  as  it 
had  been  the  prime  cause  of  the  attempt  to  destroy  the 
Government;  when  the  question  was  narrowed  down  to  a 
struggle  between  free  labor  and  slave  labor,  and  one  or  the 
other  must  be  throttled  to  the  death,  the  people  did  not  stop 
to  count  the  cost  but  stood  determinedly  for  the  right  at  any 
price,  and  the  right  prevailed 


BOAED   OP  SUPEEYISOBS.  75 

In  its  degree  there  is  a  struggle  between  free  labor  and 
that  whicli  is  far  worse  than  negro  slavery  in  its  effects  upon 
free  labor — Chinese  coolieism — here  in  our  midst  to-day; 
and  the  heoroic  treatment,  cost  what  it  may,  is  the  only 
thing  that  can  stamp  it  out.  Tou  cannot,  and  would  not  if 
you  could,  force  American  free  labor  down  to  the  level  of 
Chinese  labor.  You  can  so  impose  restrictions  upon  the 
Chinese,  under  general  regulations,  which  all  other  races 
will  willingly  submit  to — that  shall  take  away  from  them  much 
of  the  vantage  ground  which  they  now  occupy  in  their  cheap, 
crowded  mode  of  life  and  the  indulgence  in  their  vices,  and 
thereby  you  will  force  Chinese  labor  up  to  a  nearer  level, 
in  cost,  with  that  of  free  labor,  than  that  which  now  pre- 
vails. Can  it  be  doubtful,  then,  how  the  struggle  would 
progress  under  such  a  change  of  conditions? 

Meanwhile,  let  us  relax  no  ejffort  to  secure  from  Congress 
such  additional  legislation  as  may  be  necessary  to  eventually 
and  effectually  prohibit  and  put  a  stop  to  Chinese  immigra- 
tion. No  step  can  possibly  be  taken  by  the  people  of  San 
Francisco,  represented  in  her  municipal  authorities,  that 
will  more  effectually  promote  this  purpose  than  to  deal 
rigidly  with  these  Asiatic  people  among  us,  and  so  drive  them 
to  other  States,  to  be  their  own  educators  against  their  fur- 
ther coming.  For  no  method  and  no  policy  will  sooner 
relieve  our  working  classes  from  the  disadvantages  and 
hardships  which  their  };iesence  here  now  involves,  and  no 
method  and  no  policy  will  sooner  or  more  effectually  educate 
the  Eastern  mind  up  to  the  danger  which  they  are  courting 
in  favoring  this  class  of  immigration  than  direct  contact  with 
their  presence,  and  direct  and  bitter  experience  such  as  we 
have  been  subjected  to  and  are  struggling  to  reverse. 


76  REPORT   OF   SPECLIL   COMMITTEE 

Your  Committee  will  at  an  early  day  submit  an  ordinance 
for  the  consideration  of  the  Board,  which  it  is  believed 
will  best  carry  into  effect  the  conclusions  and  suggestions 
hereinbefore  set  forth. 

All  of  which  is  respectfully  submitted. 

W.  B.  FAEWELL, 
JOHN  E.  KUNKLER. 


Note. — Mr.  Pond  being  absent  from  the  State,  his  name  is  not  attached 
to  this  report.  Having  had  his  entire  co-operation  up  to  the  date  of  his 
departure,  we  do  not  doubt  that  he  would  heartily  join  with  us  were  he 
present. 

W.  B.  FAEWELL, 
JOHN  E.  KUNKLEK. 


APPENDIX, 


APPENDIX 


Manufactures  in  Chinatown. 


EXHIBIT  "A." 


CO                5P 

^ 

9 

S               ^ 

►d 

<              a 

(ST- 

^ 

T? 

H 

Street 

AND  NUMBEE 

2 

g 
e 

o 

a 

<< 

Kekakks. 

Brenham  Place,9 . . . 

1st  Story 

10 

5 

Shirt  Manufactiiring;  south  front. 

Dupont, 

607 

25 

40 

Cigar  Factory.  One  man  makes  200  cigars 
iu  a  day.  They  pay  at  the  late  of  50 
cents  to  65  cents  per  hundred. 

" 

"     

2a  story 

6 

3 

40 

Packiug. 

" 

6C9 

1st  Story 

31 

4U 

Shoe  Factory. 

" 

611 

" 

..       ..3 

15 

Cigar  Factory. 

« 

6U 

2d  Story 

9 

8 

GU 

Tailor  and  Overall  Factory. 

" 

617 

1st  Storj 

3 

3UU 

Hop  Kee  &  Co.,  Shoe  Factory 

" 

618 

2d  Story 

4 

TaUor. 

" 

"   

1st  Story 

4 

6 

Cigar  Factory. 

" 

"   

Upper  Is 

t  Story. 

2 

"           " 

" 

"   

2d  Story 

20 

20 

full. 

" 

701 

3d    " 

33 

18 

40 

-Shirt  Factory;  26  bunks  in  same  room. 

" 

" 

2d     " 

2t 

35 

Overall  Factory;  brand,  Standard  Coats. 

''. 

707 

3d     " 
Attic.     . 

15 

14 

13 

60 

"            "             "        Boss  of  the  Koad. 

715 

1st  Story 

40 

Cigar  Factory.  Pay  men  50  cents  per  hun- 
dred; pay  strippers  $1 5  per  month.  They 
use  basement  of  Waverly  Place. 

" 

715;!^.... 

" 

Tailors. 

« 

716 

2d    "      . 

1 

2 

"         rear  is  gambling  room. 

<• 

813 

" 

1 

3 

<< 

" 

816 

1st  Story 

2 

4 

n                         «                             <<                      « 

" 

822 

1st  Story 

2 

3 

Clothing 

" 

824 

" 

4 

"        rear  is  gambling  room. 

.< 

828 

2d  Story. 

2 

3 
3 

" 

" 

841 

Upper  Is 

t Story.    1 

2 

" 

" 

904 

1st  Story 

6 

" 

.. 

912 

B 

1st  Story 

4 

ly 

7 

30 

„ 

" 

916 

" 

1 

6 

Overall  Factory. 

2d  Story. 

4 

"  "  Pay  men  $10  to  $16  per 
month  and  board.  A  man  can  make  1 
doz.  overalls  in  a  day.  It  costs  25  cts. 
per  day  for  board. 

Waverly  Place,  10.. | 

1st  Story 

9 

Clothing. 

' 

13.. 

B  

Cigar  1*  actory.     See  715  Dupont  street. 
Clothing. 

22.. 

1st  Story 

,3 

80 


APPENDIX. 


MANUFACTURES  IN  CHINATOWN— Continued. 

EXHIBIT  "  A." 


Street  Airo  Number 


Waverly  Place,  18. . 
"  23.. 

36J^ 
116 
125, 
127. 
35 


Dupont,     81?. 


813  }g., 
819.... 
843.... 


845.. 
919.. 
1002. 
1006. 
1.012. 

ioh'. 

1017. 
1013. 


1023. 
1032. 
1034. 


Stockton,     710. 


712. 
804. 


816. 
912. 


914. 
916. 


9163^. 


1st  Story. 


Upper  1st  btory, 
1st  Story 


2d  Story.. 
1st  Story. 

B. 


1st  Story. 

2d  Story.. 

1st  Story. 

2d  Story. . 

3d  Story . . 

4tli  Story'. 

1st  Story. 
2d  Story . . 
3d  Story. . 
1st  Story. 
2d  Story.., 


B 

1st  Story. 


Sub-B. 
B 


1st  Story. 

2d  Story.'. 
1st  Story. 


Rear  B.. 
Front  B. 
B 


1st  Story. 


Remaeks. 


Tin  Shop. 
Shoe  Factory. 
Tailor. 

Clothing. 

Tailor. 

Overall  Factory,    Pay  men  from  75  cents  to 

85  cents  per  day.    A  man  can  make  from 

1  to  1  J<S  doz.  pairs  in  a  day. 

Clothing. 
Tailor. 


Tin  Shop. 

Candle  Fact 
Clothing. 

Overall  Factory. 
Clothing. 


Shirt  Factory. 

Tannery.     See  Brooklyn  Place. 

Shirt  Factory. 

"  "        1  woman  working. 

Shoe 

Shirt        " 
Ladies'  Underwear, 


Shirt  Factory. 

Tannery. 

Cigar-box  Factory;  made  from  old  boxes. 

Tannery,  included  in  916. 

Ladies'  Underwear. 

Sh03  Factory;  full. 


:boaed  op  supervisors. 


81 


MANUFACTURES  IN  CHINATOWN— Continukd 
EXHIBIT  "A." 


Street  AND  Ndmbee 


Stockton,     918. 
920. 


922. 


924. 


2d  Story. 
B 


1st  Story. 
1st  Story, 
d  Story.. 


1004. 
1006. 


1012. 
1014 
1016. 


1018  J^ 
1018. . 


2d  Story 

3ii  Story.. 

Ist  Story 

3d  Story 

1st  Story 

Upper  1st  Story, 
Rear  B 


1018  3<S.. 

"       1018, 10183^ 

1020.... 

1022.'.'.".' 
102t.... 

llOi.... 

1104, 1106 

1106.... 

1114.... 

112o!!!! 

Sacramento,    708. . . 


1st  Story. 
2d  Story.. 

1st  Story. 


1st  Story. 


2d  Story.. 
3d  Story.. 


1st  Story. 
2d  Story.. 
3d  Story.. 


4th  Story. 

B ' 

1st  Story. 


2d  Story.. 
1st  Story. 
B 

1st  Story. 

2d  Story!. 
3d  Story.. 
Iht  Story. 


Shoe  Factory;  full. 

Tailors. 

Shirt  Factory. 

Cigar  Factory. 

Clothing.  One  woman  -working.  The  men  get 
from  25  cents  to  $1  per  day.  Can  make 
2  pairs  pants  in  a  day.  The  proprietor 
gets  16  per  dozen. 

Overall  Factory. 

Room  connected  with  847  Washington  street. 

Overall  Factory. 

Ladies'  Underwear.  These  last  two  build- 
ings have  been  torn  down  since  notes 
were  taken. 

Clothing. 

Shoe  Factory. 
Cigar      " 
Tailors  1 


wlors  J 

Clothing 
Tailors. 


Entrance  from  Church  Court. 


Tailors — work  for  Bennett  Bros.;  a  white 
man  working  with  and  teaching  China- 
men how  to  work.  The  men  get  $1  25 
per  coat,  and  can  make  one  coat  per  day 
(probably  correct.) 

Ladies'  Underwear. 

Overall  Factory. 

Tailor 

Tailor — making  for  Jackson  Bros,  k  Co. 
Portland,  Oregon. 

Shirt  Factory.     Men  get  SI  25  per  day. 


Overall  Factory;  brand.  Boss  of  the  Boad, 


Clothing. 

Ladies'  Underwear. 

Cigars. 

Ladies'  Underwear. 

Shirt  Factory. 
Clothing. 
Shoe  Factory. 


82 


APPENDIX. 


MANUFACTURES  IN  CHINATOWN— Continued. 

EXHIBIT   '-A." 


CO 

rr. 

^ 

n 

% 

o 

i>, 

o 

^ 

B 

B 

Stbeet  and 

NUMBEE 

g 

SO 

o 

5' 

a 

«< 

Remabks 

Sacramento 

708  ... 

2d  Story.    

,j 

35 

Shoe  Factory. 

;; 

729... 

Ist  Story 

Rear  ].st  story.. 
1st  Story 

4 
42 
4 

100 

Cigar 

3d  story 

56 

45 

60 

Overall    Factory.    Brands:     Our    Farmer's 
Friend,  for  E.  T.  Allen,  S.  F.;  The  Club; 
Crown  of  California;  rioneers,  for  A.  B. 
Elfelt  t  Co.;  Caballero,  for  A.  B.  Elfelt 
&  Co.     Tlie  men  receiva  from  00  cts.  to 
70  cts.,  and  the  proprietor  $1  10  per  doz. 

" 

::••■ 

4tli  Story 

8 

3 
3 

2 

7 

4 
3 

2 

Overall  Factory.     Brand:  Wagner's  Success, 
for  Chas.  Wagner,  Laramie,  Wy.  T. 

Overall  Factory.     Brand:  Eldorado. 

"               "               "       for  Chas. 
Wagner,  Laramie,  Wy.  T. 

Overall  Factory.    Brand:  Wagner's  Success, 
for  Chas.  Wayner,  Laramie,  Wy.  T. 

I 

731... 

2d  Story 

3d  Story 

5 
14 
43 

3 

4 
10 
39 

3 

60 

Overall  Factory;  5  long  cutting  tables. 
"           "        11  bun  s  in  room. 

it 

737.. 
751... 

B     

20 

2 
23 

Trunk          ' ' 

■   « 

3d  Story 

Shirt            "        26  bunks  in  room.    It  was  a 

tailor  shop  with   21    sewing    machines 

when  previous  notes  were  taken. 

" 

805... 

1st  Story 

3 

3 

Tailors. 

" 

812   .. 

"        

4 

4 

Clothing. 

« 

819... 

2d  Story.".!!'.'.'.'. 

3 

25 

j  Cigar  Factory. 

If 

820... 
821... 

B 

3 

18 

25 

" 

1st  Story 

Cigar 

Commercial 

707  }$. 

3d  Storv 

12 

11 

Shirt  Factory. 

" 

707.. 

4th  Story 

2 

20 

Tinware;  under  roof. 

" 

712.. 

1st  Story 

Cigar  Factory;  office  and  dining-room. 

** 

•• 

2d  Story 

20 

60 

pay  50  cts.   and   75   cts.   per 
hundred. 

■  • 

745 

B 

2 

Jewelry  Manufacturing. 

" 

B . 

3 

3 

Shirt  Factory. 

" 

746.. 

Ist  Story 

4 

4 

Overall     " 

Clay,    723.. 

** 

7 

Broom      " 

735 

u 

9 

9 

Shirt         "        pay  $1  25  per  dozen. 

"        737 

2d  Story  

1st  Story 

4 

3 

30 

"             "        pay  $1  50  to  $2  per  dozen. 

"        739 

Cigar         "        pay  70  cts.   per  hundred;  a 
man  can  make  $1  50  per  day. 

•'        743.. 

<c 

f, 

''O 

Shoe  Factory;  lull. 

"        760 

.< 

7 

Tin  Shop. 

825 

I> 

fi 

.•i 

826 

<< 

5 

Cigar  Factory;  pay  50  cts.  to  65  cts.  per  100. 

Upper  Ist  Story. 

2d  Story 

1st  Story 

2d  Story 

09 

831 

3 

7 

Shirt        " 

835 

9 

? 

■•        838 

5 
3.- 

4 
40 

60 

Tailors. 

839 

Overall    " 

840 

1st  Story 

6 

20 

Shoe 

BOARD    OF    SUPERVISORS. 


83 


MANUFACTURES  IN  CHINATOWN— Continued. 

EXHIBIT  "A." 


JO              so 

^ 

9 

§         ^ 

•S 

<             a 

K 

Stbeet  and  Ndmbek 

O 

a 

a 

^ 

Kemakks. 

Clay, 

843 

1st    Stor 

y 6 

6 

Ladles'  Underwear. 

815 

Upper  Is 

3 

t Story.    8 

3 

7 

U                                (1 

.< 

" 

" 

847 

4 

4 

"                 " 

Washington,    733  . . 

1st  Storj 

Underwear,  (removed.) 

" 

737.. 

" 

1 

1 

Clothing. 

" 

738.. 

" 

27 

" 

" 

"  .. 

2d  Story 

7 

7 

Shirt  Factory. 

" 

"  . 

3d  Story 

4 

3 

Clothing. 

" 

754  M 

1 

Tinwiire. 

i< 

806.. 

2d  Story 

Vacant. 

" 

811.. 

1st  Storj 

2 

2 

Clothing. 

'• 

819}^ 

2d  Story 

7 

28 

50 

Shoe  Factory. 

" 

823.. 

9 

lb 

Tailors.    Pay  $15  per  doz.    A  man  can  make- 
one  coat  in  a  day  for  wholesale  merchants. 

" 

":: 

3d   Story 

4 

1 

3 

1 

2 

1 

1 
9 

Tailors. 

II 

„  ■■ 

" 

2 
4 

for  M.  Hyman  &  Co. 

" 

" . . 

" 

2 

4 

pay  $3  per  doz.  for  making  vests. 

ft 

826.. 

2d  Story 

13 

11 

Shirt  Factory. 

« 

828.. 

B 

5 

Cigar 

>< 

827.. 

B 

5 

"            "        changedtobarber  and  lodging 
two  weeks  after  notes  were  taken. 

ft 

"  . . 

Ist  Story 

'21 

40 

Cigar  Factory. 

" 

"  . . 

2d  Story 

25 

12 

Overall     " 

ft 

832.. 

" 

5 

3 

0 

Tailors.     California  clothing. 

f< 

834.. 

1 

1 

" 

" 

836.. 

1st  Story 

2 

Clothing  and  Jewelry. 

" 

840.. 

33 

40 

Cigar  Factory. 

K 

841.. 
843.. 

B 

(j 
3 

30 

>«                    a 

It 

B 

Cigar-box  Factory;  making  from  old  boxes. 
Tailors. 

" 

847.. 

2d  Story 

9 

10 

Jackson,     614 

1st  Story 

2 

CandUs. 

" 

617..       . 

" 

1 

10 

Boot-maker. 

" 

621 

«' 

5 

Tin  Shop. 

" 

" 

2d  Story 

30 

30 

Overall  and  Shirt  Factory. 

" 

" 

3d  Story 

4 

Tannery. 

n 

706 

B 

i(\.  Storv 
4th  Storj 

4 
6 
4 

Clothing. 

" 

709 

B 

1 

1 

" 

" 

714 

1st  Story 

6 

Jewelry. 

" 

716 

" 

6 

" 

" 

722 

3d  Story 

3 
2 

Shirt  Factory. 
Clothing. 

<. 

728 

Rear  2d 
id  Story 

Story..  30 
26 

30 
25 

« 

" 

730 

2d  Story 

30 

Cigars. 

" 

73.i 

B 

10 

30 

" 

<• 

735 

1st  Story 

10 

10 

Shirt  Factory. 

" 

736.. 

6 

7 

Clothing. 

84 


APPENDIX. 


MANUFACTURES  IN  CHINATOWN— Concludkd. 
EXHIBIT  "A." 


Street  and  Number 


Jackson, 


737, 739. 
738 


739  }$. 

740  ■.'.'. 


742.. 
840 . . 

Pacific,    645 

631.... 

627... 

635.... 

705.... 

707.... 

711.... 

715... 


719 

727 

729,729^.. 

743 

837 


"Washington  Place  15 
"      17 
Church  Court,  8 .   . 
Spofford  Place,   4  . . 

"       63.. 

"       63.. 

Stout's  Alley,  9 

Brooklyn  Place 


1st  Story, 

2d  Story. 

B 

B 

B 


1st  Story. 


1st  Story. 


2d  Story  .. 

3d  Story  . . . 
Ist  Story 

2d  Story  . . . 
3d  Story.  . 
2d  Story  . .  . 


1st  Story . 

2d  Story  . 
3d  Story.. 
2d  Story  . 
1st  Story. 


3d  Story  . 
1st  Story 
2d  Story  . 
1st  story. 
2d  Story  . 


o 


Cigar  Factory. 
Clothii/g. 

Shirt-makers. 

Shoe  Factory. 

Clothing. 

Clothing. 
Cigars. 

Ladies'  Underwear. 

Clothing. 

Cigars. 

Clothing. 


Cigarettes  (store) . 
Ladies'  Underwear. 
Clothing. 


Overalls. 
Clothing. 
Shirt  Factory. 

Overalls  and  Shirt  Factory. 

Tannery;  occupies  basement  of  710  Stockton 

street. 


RECAPITULATION . 

Cigar  makers 427 

Boot  and  shoe  makers 599 

Clothing  makers , 9''4 

Underwear  makers • ....  255 

Miscellaneous '^1 

Total  number  of  employees 2,326 

Total  number  of  sewing  machines 1,245 


Barricaded  Gambling  Dens  in  Chinatown. 


KXHIBIT   "B." 


Stkeet. 

Number. 

Remarks. 

Dupont 

710 

7U% 
71G 

716% 
720 
722 
SOO 

802 

803 
806 

809 
811 

812 

813 

816 
818 

823 

825 
824 

824 

Upper  first  floor,  entrance  side  of  stairs  through 

three  3-ineh  doors  plated  with  iron,  to  a  room 

25'x20'  back  of  710;  from  last  room  to  rear  of 

708,  15'xl6';  last  room  leading  to  escape  on 

roof. 
Kear,  first  stoi*y;  one  table;  entrance  through 

two  3- inch  plank  doors. 
Rear,   first  story;    entrance  through   a   2-inch 

plank  and  iron  door. 
Rear,  first  story;  2-inch  plank   and  iron  do6r, 

kitchen  and  water  closet. 
First  stoi-y,  eatrance  through  three  doors  plated 

with  3^-inch  iron;  also  room  in  second  story. 
Rear,  first  story;  entrance  through  3-inch  doors 

plated  with  iron. 
Rear,   first    story,    two    iron    doors    behind  a 

counter;  outlet  to  second  story  through  an 

iron  door  to  front  room  about  16  feet  deep, 

opening  into  hull  through  two  iron  doors. 
Rear,  first  story;  one  3-inch  door  plated  with 

iron;  entrance  to  second  story  thi'ough  trap 

door  plated  with  iron. 
Rear,  first  story;  trap  door  to  basement;  one 

3-inch  plank  and  iron  door. 
Rear,  fij-st  story;  two  3-inch  doors  plated  with 

iron;  water-closet  and  kitchen;   escape  over 

kitchen. 
Rear,  first  story ;  entrance  from  store ;  two  heavy 

doors. 
Rear,  first  story;  two  small,   and  three  3-inch 

plated  iron  doors. 
Rear,  first  st'iry;  trap-door  goes  to  cellar. 
Rear,  first  stury;  two  iron  doors;  kitchen  and 

water-closet  in  rear. 
Rear,  first  story;  two  3-inch  doors. 
Rear,  first  story;  entrance  through  two  3-inch 
plank  doors. 
North    front,    second   story,    one   room;   heavy 

iron  door. 
Rear,  first  story;  one  iron  door. 
Rear,  first  story;  entrance  through  two  3-inch 

plank  doors. 
Upper  first  story;  connects  with  second  story 

by  means  of  heavy  iron  trap-door  and  heavy 

plated  doors. 

Dupont 

Dupont 

Dupont 

Dupont  

Dupont   

Dupont 

Dupont 

Dupont 

Dnpont 

Dupont  

Dupont  

Dupont 

Dupont 

Dupont 

Dupont     

Dupont 

86 


APPENDIX. 


BARRICADED  GAMBLING  DENS  IN  CHINATOWN— Continued. 
EXHIBIT   "  B." 


Stbeet. 


Dupont. 
Dupont. 


Dupont. 


NUMBEB. 


828 
837 


Dupont. 
Dupont . 

Dupont. 
Dupont. 
Dupont. 

Dupont. 

Dupont. 
Dupont. 

Dupont. 
Dupont. 

Dupont. 


Kkmarkb. 


837 
838 

843 
845 
847 

906 

912 
920 


928 
930 


905 


903 


Rear,  first  story;  entrance  through  two  3 -inch 
plank  doors. 

First  story,  front,  rear  of  Chung  Wing  &  Co.'s 
dry  goods  store.  One  heavy  iron  door,  rear 
first  story;  entrance  through  two  iron  doors, 
with  3-inch  plank;  entrance  from  street  and 
store,  kitchen  from  rear  by  stairs  to  second 
story,  about  16'xlt;'  through  heavy  iron  trap 
door;  iron  partition  between  store  and  gam- 
bling-room. 

One  gumbli:)g-room,  second  story,  with  pawn 
shop;  one  heavy  plank  door. 

First  story,  entrance  through  two  3-inch  plank 
doors;  entrance  to  second  story  through  a 
trap-door;  door  from  room  on  second  floor  is 
of  3-inch  plank,  plated  with  iron. 

Rear,  first  story;  one  heavy  door,  front  and 
rear;  kitchen  and  water-closet  in  rear;  outlet 
over  kitchen  to  847. 

Rear,  first  story;  one  heavy  iron  door;  also 
escape  to  meet  store  847;  kitchen  and  water- 
closet  in  rear. 

Second  story;  one  heavy  iron  door  on  north 
front;  south  front,  tin-shop;  trap-door  from 
843;  gambling  front  of  stairs  to  third  story; 
one  heavy  iron  door. 

Rear,  first  story;  3-inch  plank  door;  escape  on 
second  story  to  Dupont  and  Washington 
streets. 

Third  story;  old  gambling-rooms;  3  doors;  front 
and  rear  doors. 

Front,  second  story;  two  iron  doors  infront  and 
one  iron  door  in  rear;  front  top  of  stairs,  one 
iron  door  in  rear;  trap-door  over  water-shed. 

Second  story;  gambling  and  pawn-broker. 

Rear,  first  story;  entrance  through  store;  3-inch 
plank  and  iron  door;  rear,  two  3-inch  plank 
and  iron  doors;  rear,  two  iron  doors. 

Rear,  first  story;  entrance  to  gambling-room 
through  store  of  Quoug  On  &  Co.  by  two  3- 
inch  plank  and  iron  doors;  escape  by  plank 
and  iron  door  to  basement,  and  by  trap-door 
to  rear  of  first  story;  second  story,  four  lot- 
tery games. 

Rear,  first  story;  entrance  through  drug  store 
of  Yee  Shoe  Hong  &  Co.  by  three  3  inch  plank 
and  iron  doors;  escape;  plank  and  iron  trap- 


BOARD   OF   SUPERVISORS. 


87 


BARRICADED  GAMBLINQ  DENS  IN  CHINATOWN— Continued. 

EXHIBIT  "B." 


Stbeet. 


Dupont . 


Dnpont . 
Dupont. 

Dupont . 

Dupont. 

Dupont . 
Dupont . 

Dupont. 


Dupont. 


Number. 


911 


909 
921 

919 

915 
937 
933 

927 
939 


Bemabes. 


door  to  basement,  also  through  plank  and  iron 
trap- door  to  second  story;  also,  escape  from 
second  story  to  Washington  street. 

Rear,  first  story;  entrance  through  tailor  shop 
by  two  3-inch  plank  and  iron  doors;  escape 
to  second  story.  Second  story,  five  gambling- 
rooms;  entrance  through  plank  and  iron  door 
at  head  of  stairs;  iron  partition  in  hall;  two 
plank  and  iron  doors  to  gambling-room;  plank 
and  iron  doors  at  foot  of  second  flight  of 
stairs.  In  rear,  plank  and  iron  door  opening 
in  roof;  plank  and  iron  door  in  rear;  third 
story  for  escape  to  911. 

First  story,  rear;  entrance  to  gambling-room 
through  two  3-inch  plank  and  iron  doors. 

Rear,  first  story;  entrance  to  gambling-room 
from  store  of  Sam  Shee  No  &  Co.  through 
one  3-inch  plank  and  iron  door;  escape  to 
upper  first  story. 

Rear,  first  story;  entrance  to  gambling- rooms 
through  store  of  You  Kee  by  one  3-inch  plank 
and  iron  door;  escape  m  rear  through  3-inch 
plank  and  iron  door.  Second  story,  two 
gambling-rooms,  plank  and  iron  door  to  each. 

Rear,  first  story;  entrance  to  gambling-rooms 
through  one  3-inch  plank  and  iron  door,  front 
and  rear;  escape  through  trap-door  to  second 
and  third  stories. 

First  story;  entrance  to  gambUng-rooms  through 
one  small  door  and  three  3-inch  plank  and 
iron  doors;  also,  entrance  through  sliding 
doors  to  store  north. 

Rear,  first  story ;  entrance  through  drug  store ; 
one  3-inch  plank  and  iron  door;  also  en- 
trance or  escape  from  rear  basement  through 
one  3-inch  plank  and  iron  trap-door;  trap- 
door escape  above  to  upper  stories. 

Front,  first  story;  entrance  through  store  by 
three  3-inch  plank  and  iron  doors;  exit  to 
rear  gambling-room  in  second  story  through 
three  3-inch  plank  and  iron  doors,  with 
escapes  to  St.  Louis  Alley  to  second  floor  of 
restaurant;  total  number  of  iron  doors  ou  the 
two,  seven. 

Second  story;  entrance  to  gambling-rooms 
throufjh  one  3-inch  plank  and  iron  door; 
escapa  from  gambling-room,  also  rear  escape 


APPENDIX. 
BARRICADED  GAMBLING  DENS  IN  CHINATO  WT?— CoNximJED. 

EXHIBIT   "B." 


Strf.f.t. 


Dupont. 


NUMBKB. 


Eejiaeks. 


Dnpont . 
Dupont . 

Stockton 
Jackson. 

Jackson. 


Jackson. 


Jackson. 


Jackson 

Jackson 
Pacific . , 


Pacific . 


1002 

1025 
1112 

1222 
626 

632 

636 
640% 

640 


650 
741 


727% 


to  St.  Louis  Alley  through  one  3-inch  plank 
and  iron  door. 

Second  story;  gambling-rooms  front  of  stairs  to 
Bartlett  Alley,  and  between  north  and  south 
halls;  one  plank  and  iion  door  in  front;  at 
kitchen  and  north  hall,  wooden  b  irs  to  win- 
dow; trap-doordownto  gambling-room  below; 
covered  above  and  below. 

Rear,  first  story;  lottery  gambling-room;  en- 
trance from  store  through  a  3-inch  plank  and 
iron  door. 

Rear,  first  story — Lottery  gambling-room.  This 
ro(.>m  is  14  feet  deep;  entrance  from  cigar 
store  through  a  3-iuch  plank  and  iron  door; 
rear  one  a  3-inch  plank  and  iron  door  also. 

Front  bj.sement — Entrance  thi'ough  two  2-inch 
plank  doors;  room  14  feet  deep. 

Second  story;  entrance  through  one  3-inch 
plank  and  iron  door;  entrance  also  from  rear 
court  through  plank  and  iron  door. 

First  story;  entrance  through  small  2-inch 
plank  door;  also  from  hall,  one  3-in:h  plank 
and  iron  door  in  rear;  escape  into  court;  iron 
bars  to  stairs  from  below;  heavy  trap-door;  a 
plank  and  iron  door  at  foot  of  stairs;  door  to 
rear  room;  from  this,  up  ladder  to  court. 

First  story;  entrance  through  two  2-inch  plank 
doors;  rear  kitchen;  escape  from  kitchen  to 
basement.  Second  story  in  front  of  stairs; 
one  3-inch  jjlank  and  iron  door  at  top  of 
stairs ;  trap-door  to  front. 

Rear,  first  story ;  entrance  through  store  by  two 
3-inch  plank  doors.  Second  story,  west  front 
lottery  game;  one  heavy  wood  door  to  hall; 
rear,  gambling-room;  entrance  through  one 
plank  and  iron  door  in  front  hall;  heavy  door 
at  foot  of  stairs. 

Rear,  first  story;  entrance  through  store;  two 
3-inch  plank  and  iron  doors;  trap-door  to 
gambling-room  above  covered  with  paper. 

First  story,  one  plank  and  iron  door. 

First  story,  rear;  gambling-room;  2-inch  plank 
door  from  rear  balcony;  a  2-inch  plank  door 
from  kitchen  of  741  Pacific  street;  windows 
from  front  room  to  wood  yard  east;  also  win- 
dow to  bed-room  cf  741  Pacific  street. 

First  story;  entrance  through  729,  through  a  3- 


BOARD   OF   SUPERVISORS. 


89 


BAEEICADED  GAMBLING  DENS  IN  CHINATOWN— Continued. 

EXHIBIT   "  B." 


Stheet. 


Pacific . 


Jackson  . 



625 

Jackson 

623 

Jackson 

627 

Jackson 

711 

St.  Louis 
Jackson . 

Alley.... 

709 

Jackson . 
Jackson. 
Jackson . 

Jackson . 
Jackson . 


NUMBEB. 


■29 


721 

715 

715-719 

713 


Bemabks. 


inch  plank  and  iron  door,  and  a  plank  door 
in  rear  to  Sullivan's  Alley. 

Second  story,  entrance  through  trap-door  from 
727,  laundry,  rear  729,  near  Sullivan's  Alley; 
lottery  and  gambling-room;  entrance  through 
a  2-inch  plank  door;  exit  through  a  plank  door 
four  inches  thick  to  stairs  south  of  building; 
entrance  from  balcony,  east  side. 

First  story;  entrance  through  two  heavy  plank 
and  iron  doors. 

First  story;  gambling-room;  entrance  through 
three  plank  and  iron  doors;  iron  partition. 

First  story;  front  entrance  through  three  doors — 
two  plank  and  one  iron — in  rear  to  lodging- 
room. 

Rear,  first  story;  entrance  to  gambling-rooms 
through  one  3-inch  plank  door. 

North  side,  second  story;  gambling-room;  es- 
cape on  roof. 

Kear,  first  story;  entrance  to  gambling-room 
through  one  3-inch  plank  and  iron  door. 
Building  runs  to  St.  Louis  Alley;  no  opening 
in  the  alley.  Escape  up  ladder  to  second 
story  through  trap,  fitting  closely  to  kitchen, 
and  up  stairs  to  rear  upper  second  story 
lodging;  rear  of  lodging  light  door  on  roof. 

Second  story;  entrance  through  a  plank  and  iron 
door  over  721;  gambling-room  and  lottery; 
from  hall,  one  plank  and  iron  door. 

First  story;  entrance  to  gambling-room  through 
pawn-broker's,  west  side,  through  two  3-inch 
plank  and  iron  doors. 

Secondstory;  entrance  to  gambling-roomthrough 
one  3-inch  plank  and  iron  door  top  of  stairs. 
Second  story,  west  side  entrance  to  gambling- 
room  through  plank  and  iron  door  to  Stuart's 
Alley. 

First  story;  entrance  to  gambling-rooms  through 
Ling  Ching  &  Co.'s  general  merchandise  store 
by  one  3-inch  plank  door;  escape  to  St.  Louis 
Alley  through  a  1-inch  plank  and  iron  door. 

North  side,  corner  of  Dupont.  First  story — 
Four  gambling-rooms  off  of  main  ball;  hall 
west  of  main  hall;  entrance  through  one  3-inch 
plank  and  iron  door  to  two  games;  entrance 
from  last  hall  through  one  3-inch  plank  nnd 
iron  door;  lodging  for  gambling- rooms  through 


90 


APPENDIX. 


BARRICADED  GAMBLING  DENS  IN  CHINATOWN— Continued. 

EXHIBIT   "  B." 


Street. 


Jackson . 


Washington. 
Washington. 

Washington. 


Number. 


800 
800 


Bemabks. 


a  door  of  wainscoting,  which  slides  up  and 
down;  this  door  is  not  easily  observed.  Second 
story — Gambling-room;  entrance  through  one 
3-inch  plank  and  iron  door;  hall  west  side  of 
stairs;  entrance  through  one4-iach  plank  and 
iron  door;  iron  in  center  of  door.  Third 
story — Entrance  from  last  hall  through  one 
3-inch  plank  and  iron  door;  lodging  rear  of 
gambling-rooms;  court  of  building  and  kitchen 
east  eud;  door  from  lodging-room  through  a 
3-ineh  plauk  and  iron  door  at  south  end  of 
court;  one3-iuch  plank  and  iron  door  to  hall; 
a  3-inch  plank  and  iron  door  north  from  hall 
to  stairs,  leading  up  to  each  floor;  hall  west 
of  main  hall  through  one  3-inch  plank  and 
iron  door,  also  one  plank  and  iron  door  south 
of  store;  a  plank  door  west  to  lodging-room, 
a'-id  one  3-inch  plank  and  iron  door  to  gam- 
bliug-room.  Fourth  story — Gambling-room; 
entrance  as  shown  from  last  hall;  also  light 
door  to  lodging-room  from  this  room;  kitchen 
cover<-d  in  court,  with  opening  in  roof;  also 
one  plauk  and  iron  door,  fastened  up,  to 
kitchen  of  fifth  gambling-room;  from  this 
kitchen  to  rear  or  last  hall  of  third  gambling- 
room;  opium  store  in  front  of  fourth  gam- 
bling-rooms (front  first  story)  through  one 
3-inch  plank  and  iron  door  to  hall  of  gambling- 
room;  also  stairs  up  to  upper  first  story. 
Fifth  story — Gambling-rooui ;  the  entrance  is 
through  two  3-inch  plank  and  iron  doors  and 
iron  partition;  to  kitchen,  one  plank  and  iron 
door,  from  kitchen  down  to  third  and  foiarth 
gambling-rooms,  also  to  hall. 

Second  story,  corner  of  Dupont.  One  plank 
and  iron  door  at  top  of  stairs,  and  one  from 
hall  to  gambling-rooms. 

Rear  corner  from  Washington  and  Dupont.  Chi- 
nese drug  store,  with  entrance  door  of  heavy 
plank,  with  two  bars  and  braces,  and  through 
this  store  to  back  hall ;  escape  to  903  Dupont 
street  through  trap-door  down  stairs  to  back 
part  of  store. 

First  i^tory.  Quong  Sam  Wo  &  Co.,  general 
merchandise,  and  jewelry  in  front;  adjoining 
this  is  a  private  office;  next  to  this  an  opium 
counter;  then  come  lodgings  and  kitchen  in 


BOARD  OF   SUPERVISORS. 


91 


BARRICADED  GAMBLING  DENS  IN  CHINATOWN— Continued. 
EXHIBIT  "B." 


Street. 


Washington. 
Washington. 


Number. 


816 


Washington. 
Washington. 


816 


816 


Washington. 


Washinfrton. 


Washington 

Washington  Place 


820 


822 


826 
26 


Kemabks 


rear,    with   a   heavy   iDLmk,    braced   door    to 
kitchen  of  gambling-room  west. 
First  stoi-y,  gambling-room;  b.  hind  same  store, 
through  plauk  and  iron  door;  escape  through 
same  kitchen  as  808. 
Entrance  to  Grand  Theater.     Gambling-rooms 
on  east  side  of  hall  last  mentioned;  entrance 
to   hall  through  a  plank  and  iron  door;  en- 
trance from  hall  to  rooms  through  a  plauk  and 
iron  door,  with  three  plank  and  iron  doors  to 
rooms  used  for  gambling;    kitchen  in  rear, 
with  escape  through  a  plank  and  iron  door 
under  stage. 
Gambling-rooms  on    west    side    of  same    h;.ll 
(Theater  entrance),  with  kitchen  and  water- 
closet  extending  under  a  stage  through  a  plank 
and  iron  door. 
Below  the   stage   of  the   Grand   Theater  is   a 
kitchen  for  the  gambling-rooms.     The  rest  of 
the  space  is  divided  into  two  rows  of  rooms 
from  east  to  west,  with  passage  in  rear  from 
one  end  to  the  other;  also  a  passage  through 
room  under  stage,  making  a   passage   clear 
through,  with  center  passage  from  east  nearly 
through.     All  the  rooms  are  connected  with 
each  other.     These  rooms  have  been  used  for 
gambling-rooms,  and  have  several  openings  to 
see  through  into  audience-room.     There  is  a 
heavy  plank  and  iron  door  leading  from  the 
audience-room  to  these  rooms.    The  gambling- 
rooms  under  the  audience-room  have  exit  to 
these  rooms  through  plank  and  iron  doors, 
and    from    west    and    under    dressing-room 
through  plank  and  iron  doors  to  stairs.    At 
top  of  stairs  into   dressing-room  is  a  heavy 
trap-door. 

.'ront,  first  story;  gambling-rooms  through  hall 
to  rear  of  stairs  and  hardware  store,  through 
(hree  plank  and  iron  doors;  kitchen  and  water- 
closet  in  rear;  escape  through  two  trap-doors 
to  second  story. 

First  story;  gambling-room  rear  of  pawn-shop; 
exit  from  middle  room  and  rear  of  stairs  to 
second  story. 

Second  story;  front  east  corner  gambling-room. 

Rear,  first  story;  two  gambling-rooms;  en- 
trance through  store  through  3-inch  plank  and 


92 


APPENDIX. 


BARRICADED  GAMBLING  DENS  IN  CHINATOWN— Continukd. 
EXHIBIT   "B," 


SrBKET. 


NUMBEK. 


Remarks. 


Washington  Place. 


Washington  Place . 


Stout's  Alley 


Stout's  Alley 


33 


iron  door;  kitchen  and  water-closet  in  rear. 

First  story,  north  side  of  building,  outside  door; 
ten  feet  to  next  door  of  3-iuoh  wood  and  iron; 
up  three  steps,  ten  feet  to  door  of  3-inch 
wood  and  iron ;  three  turns  to  gambling  room; 
two  games;  exit  through  iron  door  to  stage  of 
Jackson-street  Theater;  also  exit  from  rear 
hall  through  iron  door  to  basement.  Second 
story — Entrance-  to  stairs  through  2-inch 
plank  door.  Third  story — Gambling-room, 
south  side  of  building  be'-iide  stairs;  small 
door  of  plank  and  iron  First  story — Entrance 
north  side  of  building  through  two  3-inch 
plank  and  iron  doors  to  rear  of  last  room; 
exit  up  to  second  story.  First  story — En- 
trance through  two  planked  and  iron  doors  to 
rear;  entrance  to  second  story  through  iron 
trap-door;  entrance  from  gambling-room  to 
Jackson-street  Theater,  one  iron  door.  First 
story — Entrance  through  2  plank  and  iron 
doors.  Second  story — Rear  door;  plank  and 
iron  door  from  rear  of  stairs.  First  story — 
Gambling-room  being  fitted  up;  two  heavy 
jDlank  and  iron  doors. 

Stairs  to  second  story  of  631  and  633  Jackson 
street;  three  rooms  for  lottery-drawing;  one 
heavy  plank  and  iron  door  in  front  of  stairs 
rear  of  kitchen;  over  lottery  drawing-room 
one  heavy  pLmk  and  iron  door.  Second 
story — Lottery  game;  one  door,  heavy  plank 
and  iron;  lottery  game,  one  door,  heavy  plank 
and  iron;  this  covers  eisfhty  feet  from  Jackson 
street;  one  heavy  plank  and  iron  door  at  head 
of  stairs. 

West  side,  first  story,  second  building  from 
Jackson  street.  One  4-inch  plank  door  and  one 
3-inch  plank  door;  escape  from  the  fir.-,t  floor 
up  to  second  floor  through  trap-door  to  room; 
entrance  to  hall  through  a  plank  and  iron 
door. 

Third  building  from  Jackson  street,  same  side. 
First  story— Gambling-room;  two  plank  and 
iron  doors;  iron  partitions  in  hall;  escape  up 
through  trap-door  to  upper,  first  and  second 
stories  through  plank  and  iron  doors  to  hall, 
thence  to  street  on  roof;  also  entrance  to 
north  gambling-room. 


BOAllD   OF   SUPERVISORS. 


93 


BARRICADED  GAMBLING  DENS  IN  CHINATOWN— Continued. 
EXHIBIT   "B." 


Stbeet. 


Remarks. 


Stout's  Alley- 


Stout's  Alley 
Stout's  Alley 

Stout's  Alley . 


Stout's  Alley . 
Stout's  Alley . 


Stout's  Alley. 

Stout's  Alley . 

Stout's  Alley . 
Stout's  Alley . 


Stout's  Alley . 


13 


Fourth  building  from  Jackson  street,  same  side. 
First  story — Iron  partition;  entrance  through 
two  plank  and  iron  doors,  to  rear  of  first 
story;  small  room  through  another  heavy 
plank  and  iron  door;  water-closet  on  the  side 
throiigh  heavy  plank  and  iron  door;  escape  to 
roof  over  kitchen. 

Fourth  building  from  Jackson  street.  First 
story— Lottery  through  small  cigar  store. 

Upper  first  story — Gambling-room;  entrance 
through  light  door;  cue  4-inch  plank  door  and 
one  3-inch  plank  door. 

Fifth  building  from  Jackson  street,  west  side. 
First  story — Gambliug-room;  the  entrance  is 
through  one  2-iuch  plank  door  and  one  3-inch 
plank  door;  to  rear,  kitchen  and  water-closet 
though  cue  3  inch  plank  door. 

First  story — Entrance  through  hall  30  feet  deep, 
through  two  plank  and  iron  doors;  no  escape. 

First  story— Entrance  through  two  plank  and 
iron  doois;  escape  to  second  floor  through  a 
plank  and  irou  door,  and  one  light  door  to 
hall;  second  floor  covers  escape  through  first 
story  south. 

Second  story  —  Entrance  to  gambling-room 
through  plank  and  iron  door  in  middle  of 
stairs,  and  one  plank  and  iron  door  at  top  of 
stairs;  also  connection  with  second  floor 
south. 

First  story — Entrance  to  gambling-room  through 
two  plank  and  iron  doors  in  front;  one  plank 
and  one  iron  door  between  gambling-room  to 
water-closet  in  rear. 

First  story — En  trance  to  gambling-room  through 
t  vo  plank  and  iron  doors  in  front  only. 

East  side,  first  building  north  of  "Washington. 
First  story  —  Entrance  to  gambling-rooms 
through  two  plank  and  iron  doors;  kitchen 
and  water-closet  throiagh  trap-door;  escape, 
a  plank  and  iron  door  to  gambling-room 
north;  escape  also  from  upper  first  story;  also 
through  plank  and  iron  door  to  hall,  to  Wash- 
ington street,  to  third  story  and  roof. 

Next  building  north.  First  story — Entrance 
to  gambling-room  through  two  3-inch  plank 
doors;  one  plank  and  irou  door  to  gambling- 
room    south;    upper  first  story  and  second 


94 


APPENDIX. 


BARRICADED  GAMBLING  DENS  IN  CHINATOWN— Continued. 

EXHIBIT   "B." 


SXBEET. 


Stout's  Alley. 
Stout's  Alley. 

Stout's  Alley 

Stout's  Alley. 
Stout's  Alley 

Stout's  Alley . 


Stout's  Alley 
Stout's  Alley . 
Stout's  Alley. 


Ndmbeb. 


4 
6 

12 


Clay. 
Clay. 


Washington. 


28 


723-729 


849 


Remasss  . 


story   escape   through   plank   and   iron  trap- 
doors. 
Rear,   first    story — Entrance,    two    plank    and 

wooden  doors. 
Rear,  first  story — Entrance  to  gambling -rooms 

through  two  plank  and  iron  doors;   in  rear, 

one  plank  and  iron  door. 
Rear,    first    story  —  Gambling-rooms    in    rear; 

escape  from  upper  first  floor;  also  one  from 

first  floor. 
First  story  —Entrance  to  gambUng-room  through 

3-inch  plank  and  iron  doors. 
First  stoi-y— Entrance  to  gambling-room  through 

one  2-inch  plank  door,  and  two  3-inch  pUnk 

and  iron  doors;  three  rooms  plank  and  iron 

doors. 
First  story — Entrance  through  one  2-inch  plan 

door  and  two  3-inch  plank  and  iron  doors  a-; 

above;    escape  through  plank  aud  iron  door 

into  hall ;  also  escape  to  roof  from  second  story . 
First    story — Gambling-rooms    connected    with 

restaurant;  entrance  through  two  3-inch  plank 

and  iron  doors. 
First  story — The  entrance  to  gambling-room  is 

through   three  3-inch  plank  and  iron  doors; 

escape  to  second  story. 
First  story — The  entrance  to  gambling-rooms  is 

through  two  3inch  plank  and  iron  doors;  from 

first    to    second    story,  2-inch    plank    door. 

Second  story — Another  gambling-room,  wilh 

plank  andiron  doors  connecting  with  Jackson 

street,  and  plank  and  iron  door  escape  to  rear 

basement. 
Second  floor — Entrance  through   3-inch  heavy 

plank  and  iron  door  from  street,  also  from 

Dupont  street. 
Second  story,  room  on  southeast  corner — One 

gambling  table;  one  3-inch  plank  door.  Room 

next  north,  one  table;  one  3-inch  plank  door; 

entrance  from  north  room;  windows  grated. 

Third  room,   a  pawn-shop;    fourth  room,  a 

pawn-shop,  and  one  gambling-table.     These 

rooms  in   front  have  heavy  plank  doors  to 

hall,  and  barred  windows. 
Rear,  first  story — Entrance  through  cigar  store; 

water-closet  in  rear;  trap-door  in  water-closet 

for  escape. 


BOARD    OF    SUPEEVISOES. 


95 


BAERICADED  GAMBLING  DENS  IN  CHINATOWN— Concluded. 
EXHIBIT   "B." 


Stb 

Number. 

Remarks. 

Commercial 

Waverley  Place . . . 

Waverley  Place .  . . 
Bartlett  Alley 

7U% 
36% 

37 

Second  story — Pawnbroker;  entrance  through 
2%-inch  plank  door,  plated  with  34-Lnch  iron 
to  gambling-deu. 

First  story — Entrance  rear  of  114/^  through  an 
8-inch  plank  and  iron  door,  and  one  3-inch 
plank  and  iron  door;  kitchen  and  water- 
closet  in  rear;  escape  through  window  in 
W.  C. 

Front,  first  story — Entrance  through  one  2-inch 
plauk  and  iron  door;  rear  door,  2-iach  plank 
and  iron. 

West  side,  first  story — One  3-inch  plank  and 
iron  door,  and  one  3-inch  plank  door;  escape 
through  a  plank  and  iron  door  to  passage  at 
640%  Jackson  street,  up  to  restaurant  over 
fence,  thence  to  Bartlett  Alley. 

Chinatown  in  Sacramento. 


A  SURVEY  of  "Chinatown"  in  Sacramento  would  show,  on 
a  smaller  scale,  a  condition  of  things  precisely  similar  to  that 
developed  in  the  foregoing  Heport  of  the  Special  Committee 
of  the  Board  of  Supervisors  of  San  Francisco.  The  same 
remark  will  apply  to  every  town  of  importance  in  California 
or  in  any  part  of  the  world  where  the  Chinese  have  colonized; 
for  one  "Chinatown"  is  as  another  "Chinatown"  wherever 
it  may  be  found,  the  world  over.  In  the  absence  of  an  actual 
survey  of  and  report  upon  "Chinato^oi"  in  Sacramento, 
some  extracts  from  the  testimony  elicited  before  the  Legis- 
lative Committee  in  1876  in  regard  to  the  condition  of  things 
there  will  be  of  value  as  corroborative  evidence  of  all  that 
has  gone  before.  Important  extracts  from  this  testimony 
touching  specific  features  of  Chinese  life  in  this  locality  have 
already  been  given,  and  the  further  testimony  in  Reference  to 
general  facts  need  only  be  added  to  complete  the  picture. 

Charles  P.  O'Neil,  a  policeman  of  twenty  years'  standing, 
testified  as  follows : 

Q. — Are  there  any  Chinese  women  here? 

A. — Yes,  sir;  there  are  a  couple  of  hundred,  the  most  of 
them  beiug  prostitutes. 

Q. — How  many  Chinese  families  are  there  in  this  city — 
men  with  their  wives  and  children  ? 

A. — There  are  not  a  great  many.  It  is  a  very  unusual 
thing  for  Chinamen  to  bring  their  families  here  from  China; 
so  much  so  that  I  never  heard  of  such  a  case.  In  conversa- 
tion with  me,  they  always  speak  as  if  opposed  to  such  a 
thing. 

Q. — Do  you  know  how  these  women  are  held — whether 
they  are  owned  by  anybody,  or  whether  anybody  claims  to 
own  them  ? 


(97) 


15 


98  CHINATOWN    IN    SACRAMENTO. 

A. — Only  from  hearsay.  I  have  heard  them  (the  China- 
men) frequently  say  that  they  bought  them.  On  one  occa- 
sion I  was  called  into  a  Chinese  house,  and  there  saw  four 
hundred  and  fifty  dollars  pass  between  a  woman  and  a  man. 
They  wanted  me  to  be  a  witness  to  the  fact,  and  I  witnessed 
it.  Sometime  afterwards  the  woman  told  me  that  her  boss 
had  sold  her  for  four  hundred  and  fifty  dollars.  That  was 
the  contract  I  witnessed,  but  it  being  in  Chinese  I  did  not 
understand  it  at  the  time.  The  woman  soon  after  committed 
suicide.  She  did  not  like  this  man  to  whom  she  had  been 
sold,  and  committed  suicide  by  drowning.  From  my  ex- 
perience as  an  officer,  I  know  that  these  women  are  kept 
under  close  surveillance. 

Q. — Is  it  possible  for  them  to  escape,  or  is  there  any  rea- 
sonable probability  that  any  of  them  could  escape  from  that 
servitude  ? 

A. — No;  not  without  they  are  protected  by  the  white  peo- 
ple. I  have  known  them  to  attempt  to  escape,  and  have 
known  them  to  have  been  sent  for  and  brought  back.  To 
do  this  they  use  different  means,  principally  money.  They 
use,  also,  the  machinery  of  the  American  Courts  to  enforce 
these  contracts,  it  being  customary  to  have  these  v/omen  ar- 
rested for  larceny  or  some  crime  in  order  to  get  the  more 
secure  possession  of  them. 

:•:  *  :!=  ♦  :j:  :i: 

Q. — What  proportion  of  the  Chinese  on  I  street  do  you 
suppose  belong  to  the  criminal  classes — that  is,  engaged  in 
prostitution,  living  off  the  fruits  of  prostitution,  gambling, 
living  off  the  fruits  of  gambling,  petty  larcenies,  etc.  ? 

A. — On  I  street  there  are  from  one  hundred  and  fifty  to 
two  hundred  of  what  we  call  "  highbinders"  living  off'  the 
houses  of  prostitution,  and  they  are  mixed  up  with  the  gam- 
blers. You  might  call  them  hoodlums.  They  band  together 
and  make  raids  on  the  gambling  houses  and  on  the  women, 
and  make  them  give  them  money.  They  live  in  that  way; 
always  ready  for  a  fight  at  any  moment  among  themselves, 
and  against  anybody  that  may  oppose  them.  They  go  to- 
gether in  gangs,  and  will  number  about  two  hundred.  With 
the  women  this  criminal  class  will  number  at  least  four  hun- 
dred, or  one-fifth  of  the  entire  Chinese  population  of  the 
city.  The  petty  thieves,  shop-lifters,  etc.,  range  with  these 
highbinders,  and  go  along  picking   articles  from  doorways, 


CHINATOWN  IN   SACRAMENTO.  99 

etc.  On  J  street  one  will  probably  go  inside  to  buy  some- 
thing, when  a  confederate  or  two  will  walk  off  witli  a  pair  of 
pants  or  boots  or  anything  that  can  be  carried  off. 

:;:  *  *  :'::  :i:  I'fi 

Q. — Do  you  know  of  any  cases  of  leprosy  in  this  city? 

A. — There  is  one  knocking  around  town  somewhere — a 
man.  I  haven't  seen  him  lately;  he  was  around  Fifth  street. 
There  was  another  here  but  he  died,  and  this  old  felJoAv 
came  here,  I  think,  from  Stockton.  There  are  some  Chinese 
in  our  hospital,  but  I  do  not  know  how  many. 

Q. — Have  they  any  respect  for  our  oath? 

A. — None,  sir.  From  my  judgment,  after  twenty  years 
experience  as  an  officer,  1  can  say  that  they  will  swear  which- 
ever way  their  interests  run;  or  will  swear  for  any  pecuniary 
gain — that  is,  the  most  of  them.  Of  course  there  are  some 
who  are  honest  and  straightforward,  but  they  are  exceptions. 
As  a  population  the  Chinese  are  largely  criminal,  when  we 
consider  perjury  in  the  list.  They  are  ready  to  do  anything 
for  their  own  interest  and  immediate  advancement. 

Q. — Through  the  exertions  of  yourself  and  some  other 
officers  you^Drevented  boys  from  going  to  these  quarters  ? 

A. — Yes,  sir. 

Q. — Were  these  women  always  ready  and  willing  to 
solicit  these  bo3's  to  enter  their  houses? 

A. — Yes,  sir;  whenever  they  would  come  along. 

Q. — Stop  at  the  window  and  knock  for  little  boys  passing? 

A. — Stand  at  the  door  or  window  and  say,  "Come  iu; 
come  in."  I  never  saw  small  boys  there;  never  any  boys 
less  than  thirteen  or  fourteen  years  old. 

Q. — Don't  you  think  boys  of  that  age  too  small  for  that 
offense  ? 

A. — Not  iu  California.  They  might  be  back  East.  I 
have  found  such  boys  in  these  houses  and  driven  them  out. 
I  have  also  known  cases  where  young  girls,  dressed  up  as 
boys,  went  to  these  places — out  of  curiosity,  perhaps. 

Q. — Do  you  know  any  Christian  Chinamen  ? 

A. — I  knew  one. 

Q. — How  long  since  ? 

A. — Several  years  ago,  in  San  Francisco. 

Q. — Have  you  ever  known  of  any  Christians  here  ? 

A. — No,  sir;  nor  do  I  believe  that  there  ever  was  one 
made  in  California. 


100  CHINATOWN   IN    SACRAMENTO. 

Q. — Do  you  know  of  any  Cliiuese  mission  ]iere  r 

A.— Oil,  yes. 

Q.-— Who  runs  that  mission — white  people? 

A, — Yes,  sir;  a  great  many  3"0ung  ladies  go  there  to  in- 
struct the  Chinese.     They  instruct  men  only — men  and  boys. 

Q. — Do  these  young  ladies  ever  attempt  to  teach  the 
women  anything  ? 

A. — No,  sir.  Go  to  the  churches  every  Sunday  evening 
and  you  can  see  them  teaching  the  Chinamen. 

Q. — What  are  they  teaching  them  ? 

A. — The  Bible  and  all  those  good  things. 

Q. — What  ejBfect  does  that  teaching  have  on  them  ? 

A. — It  makes  confirmed  scoundrels  of  them. 

Q. — Do  you  know  anything  about  any  opium  dens  ? 

A. — Most  of  their  houses  are  so.  They  have  places  to 
smoke  opium  in  almost  every  house.  There  are  three  or 
four  places  w^here  white  women  went  to  smoke,  but  I  have 
not  seen  any  of  them  since  last  fall. 

Q. — How  are  the  Chinese,  as  a  race,  given  to  the  vice  of 
opium-smoking? 

A. — About  as  much  as  American  people  to  taking  their 
regular  "tod." 

Q. — You  say  that  this  Christianity  they  are  taught  makes 
confirmed  scoundrels  of  them  ? 

A. — There  are  very  few  Chinamen  I  have  seen  (of  course 
there  are  some  exceptions)  that  become  "  Christians,"  and 
learn  to  talk  good  English,  who  do  not  become  rascals. 
They  go  to  these  schools  solely  to  learn  English.  I  have 
heard  Chinamen  frequently  say  that  they  went  to  these 
places  simply  to  "catchee  English."  I  have  asked  them 
why  they  went,  and  that  is  the  reason  they  have  always 
given  me.  They  laugh  at  the  idea  of  being  converted  to 
Christianity.  On  one  Sunday  there  was  a  Chinese  mission- 
ary down  on  I  street,  singing  hymns,  and  directly  opposite 
the  Chinese  were  having  their  religious  festival,  commonly 
called  '•'  driving  the  devil  out."  There  was  an  old  Chinaman 
there,  Billy  Holung,  who  has  been  around  here  for  twenty 
years,  and  turning  to  him  I  asked  what  the  Christian  per- 
formance was.  He  said  it  was  a  Christian  church.  I  asked 
him  what  he  was  talking  about,  and  he  said:  "  He  is  talk- 
ing about  Jesus  Christ;  he  is  damn  fool;  he  never  see  Jesus 
Christ."  There  is  a  mission  here,  too.  I  do  not  know  how 
many  members  it  has.     There  are  Chinamen,   who  claim  to 


CHINATOWN  IN  SACEAMENTO.  101 

be  converted,  who  preach,  every  Sunday  on  Third  and  I 
streets.  There  are  about  fifteen  or  twenty  of  them,  I  think. 
A.  Ciiinaman  leads  it.  I  have  not  seen  a  white  man  there 
more  than  once  since  they  went  there.  I  do  not  believe  in 
Chinese  religious  sincerity,  so  far  as  Christianity  is  con- 
cerned. 

Q. — Do  the  Chinese  come  here  to  stay? 

A.— No,  sir. 

Q. — How  long  do  they  remain  ? 

A. — They  stay  until  they  gather  so  much  money,  and 
then  they  leave  for  China.  There  are  some  here  who  have 
made  two,  three  and  four  trips  to  their  own  country. 

Q. — What  is  considered  a  fortune  among  the  Chinese? 

A. — Between  two  hundred  dollars  and  three  hundred 
dollars  is  considered  a  pretty  good  stake  by  the  working 
classes. 

Q. — Are  they  satisfied  to  go  back  when  they  get  that  ? 

A. — Yes. 

Charles  T.  Jones,  District  Attorney  of  Sacramento,  tes- 
tified : 

Q. — Can  you  rely  upon  the  oaths  of  Chinamen? 

A. — No,  sir;  not  at  all.  Whenever  their  interests  are  in 
the  least  concerned,  they  will  swear  whichever  way  they 
may  deem  most  advantageous,  irrespective  of  truth,  justice 
or  honesty. 

Q. — Have  you  ever  known  a  Christian  Chinaman  ? 

A. — I  have  known  Chinamen  who  pretended  to  be  Chris- 
tians, and  I  have  heard  them  preach  and  pray.  I  think  this 
Chinese  Christianity  is  all  a  mere  pretense.  I  would  not 
trust  a  Christian  Chinaman  any  quicker  than  I  would  any 
other;  but  I  would  be  a  little  more  suspicious  in  that  case, 
because  they  become  sharper. 

Q. — Why  do  they  go  to  the  Christian  Sunday  Schools? 

A. — They  go  to  learn  English.  I  have  had.  Chinamen^ 
who  pretended  to  be  very  devout  Christians,  tell  me  thab 
the  only  reason  they  went  to  Sunday  School  and  Church  was 
to  learn  English  without  any  expense  to  themselves. 

Q. — Suppose  a  Chinaman  should  assist  the  officers  in 
bringing  Chinese  criminals  to  justice — would  that  be  a  dan- 
gerous thing  for  him  ? 

A. — I  think  it  would,  I  am  satisfied  that  they  have  their 
own  tribunals,  where  they  try  all  these  cases. 


102  CHINATOWN  IN   SACRAMENTO. 

Q. — What  cliance  liave  these  women,  who  are  held  iu 
prostitution,  to  escape  ? 

A. — They  have  a  ver}"  small  chance. 

Q. — In  case  of  escape,  do  they  ever  resort  to  the  Courts, 
to  retain  possession  of  the  women  ? 

A. — Yes,  sir. 

Q. — Do  you  think  the  presence  of  Chinese  in  California 
tends  to  the  advancement  of  Christian  civilization  ? 

A. — I  do  not. 

Q. — About  Avhat  proportion  of  the  Chinese  here  belong 
to  the  criminal  classes  ? 

A. — A  large  jDortion  do,  while  I  believe  that  every  China- 
man will  steal  when  he  gets  a  chance.  I  believe  the  Chinese 
merchants  here,  in  a  manner,  control  the  petty  thieves,  re- 
ceive their  stolen  goods,  and  get  them  out  of  trouble  when 
arrested. 

Q. — Do  you  think  it  possible  to  entirely  break  up  these 
houses  of  prostitution  and  gambling  in  this  city  ? 

A. — It  would  be  very  difficult.  The  Chinese  resort  to 
perjury  in  all  cases,  and  many  white  men  find  it  impossible 
to  identify  Chinamen. 

James  Duffy  testified : 

3Ir.  Haymond — How  long  have  you  resided  in  the  City 
of   Sacramento  ? 

A.— Since  1852. 

Q. — Do  you  know  anything  about  the  Chinese  quarter? 

A. — Yes,  sir. 

Q. — Do  you  know  anything  about  the  condition  of  their 
houses,  as  to  cleanliness? 

A. — They  are  horribly  dirty.  I  have  never  been  in  a 
Chinese  house  yet  that  wasn't  more  like  a  water-closet  than  a 
house. 

Q. — You  are  an  expressman  ? 

A. — Yes,  sir. 

Q. — How  are  the  streets  kept? 

A. — I  street  is  very  dirty.  They  throw  a  great  many 
slops  into  the  street  and  into  the  back  yards,  and  between 
them  all  there  is  a  terrible  mess. 

Q. — Do  they  livo  as  white  people  do  ? 

A. — No,  sir.  You  and  your  wife  could  not  live  where 
thirty  of  them  live. 


CHINATOWN   IN  SACRAMENTO.  103 

Q. — Do  you  know  anytliing  of  boys  visiting  bouses  of 
prostitution  ? 

A. — I  have  seen  small  boys  visit  their  houses  of  prosti- 
tution. In  one  instance  I  saw  a  woman  entice  a  boy  of 
about  eleven  years  of  age  into  her  house.  I  got  a  police- 
man, George  Harvey,  and  had  both  parties  arrested.  The 
woman,  I  think,  deposited  ten  dollars  for  her  appearance, 
but  forfeited  it  next  morning. 

3Ir.  Donovan — Do  you  know  of  white  people  being  dis- 
charged to  give  place  to  Chinamen  ? 

A. — I  have  heard  white  ladies  say  so.  They  said  they 
would  prefer  white  help,  if  they  would  work  for  the  same 
price  as  Chinamen. 

Q. — Do  you  know  of  any  boys  being  diseased  by  having 
visited  the  Chinese  quarter  ? 

A. — No  more  than  I  have  heard. 

Q. — What  is  the  common  report? 

A. — That  no  one  goes  there  except  he  gets  diseased. 

Q. — What  is  the  common  report  as  to  truth-telling 
among  the  Chinese  ? 

A. — A  Chinaman  will  tell  a  lie  for  ten  cents  and  swear  to 
it. 

Q. — What  is  their  character  for  honesty — are  they  gen- 
erally considered  honest,  or  thieves  ? 

A. — There  might  be  one  in  the  city  perhaps  that  would  not 
steal,  but  you  would  have  to  look  pretty  hard  to  find  him. 
I  don't  think  there  is  a  Chinaman  in  this  city  that  would  not 
steal.     They  are  all  thieves,  liars  and  perjurers. 

James  Coffey,  a  policeman,  testified : 

Mr.  Haymond — How  long  have  you  lived  in  California  ? 
A. — Twenty- one  years. 

Q. — What  have  you  been  engaged  in  during  that  time  ? 
A. — Driving  stage  most  of  the  time.     For  the  last  two 
years  I  have  been  on  the  police  force  in  Sacramento. 

Q. — In  what  part  of  the  State  were  you  driving  stage  ? 

A. — All  over. 

Q. — In  the  mining  section  ? 

A. — Yes,  sir. 

Q. — Where  they  employed  Chinese  ? 

A. — A  few. 


104  CHINATOWN  IN  SACRAMENTO. 

Q. — What  was  the  condition  of  the  Chinese  quarters  in 
the  various  mining  towns  ? 

A. — Very  poor. 

Q. — How  do  they  live? 

A. — Most  generally  in  tents,  in  those  days. 

Q. — In  communities  by  themselves  ? 

A. — Yes,  sir. 

Q. — Since  jon  have  been  on  the  police  force  here  have 
you  had  occasion  to  visit  the  Chinese  quarters  ? 

A. — Very  often. 

Q. — In  what  condition  are  their  houses,  and  how  do  they 
live  ? 

A. — They  are  in  very  poor  condition,  and  the  Chinamen 
live  more  like  hogs  than  men.  A  great  many  are  living  in 
basements  below  the  streets,  except  a  few  women  who  live 
on  the  first  floors. 

Q. — Do  you  know  anything  about  young  boys  visiting 
Chinese  houses  of  prostitution  ? 

A. — I  have  seen  several. 

Q. — Of  what  ages  ? 

A. — Twelve,  fourteen,  and  sixteen  years  old. 

Matt  Kaechee,  Chief  of  Police,  testified  : 

Q. — Do  you  know  who  own  or  claim  to  own  the  China- 
women who  are  prostitutes  here  ? 

A. — Merchants  here  who  pretend  to  be  respectable — Chi- 
nese merchants,  I  mean. 

Q. — Are  they  buying  and  selling  these  women  ? 

A. — That  is  my  opinion,  from  my  experience. 

Q. — How  are  they  treated? 

A. — Where  one  is  young  and  good-looking,  and  makes 
plenty  of  money,  she  is  well  treated.  Those  who  are  unable 
to  make  much  are  treated  very  badly. 

Q. — How  young  are  the  youngest  that  you  know  of  as 
being  held  ? 

A. — I  have  seen  them  as  young  as  fifteen  years. 

Q, — What  chance  have  they  to  escape  from  this  life,  if 
they  desire  ? 

A. — They  have  very  little  chance. 

Q. — How  is  that  ? 

A. — Because  the  Chinese  will  swear  to  almost  anything, 
and  if  one  is  taken  away  by  another  she  is  simply  run  off  to 
another  locality  to  be  sold  into   slavery  again.     Sometimes 


CHINATOWN  IN   SACRAMENTO.  105 

the  farce  of  marrying  is  gone  througli  with  in  order  to  get 
the  woman,  who  may  be  beyond  their  reach.  As  soon  as 
the  newly-made  husband  gets  possession  of  his  bride  he 
turns  her  over  to  her  former  owners. 

Q. — Do  you  know  of  cases  where  they  have  had  Chinamen 
arrested  and  convicted  of  crime  simply  because  they  have 
interfered  with  them  ? 

A. — Yes,,  sir.  The  arresting  officer  and  the  District  At- 
torney have  to  be  very  careful  lest  they  be  made  the  instru- 
ments of  sending  innocent  men  to  State  Prison.  Sometimes 
where  several  men  are  arrested,  one  will  be  offered  v/hom  we 
may  convict  if  we  will  let  the  others  go.  Several  men  were 
arrested  here  some  time  ago  for  robbing  Harper's  shoe-store. 
These  fellows  put  up  a  man  who  admitted  that  he  was  guilty, 
but  I  did  not  believe  he  had  anything  to  do  with  it.  These 
Chinese  leaders  offered  to  furnish  me  with  all  the  evidence 
I  wanted  if  I  would  have  a  nolle  pros,  entered  in  the  other 
cases. 

^  ^  ^  i^  m  ^ 

Q. — What  is  the  character,  as  to  truth  and  veracity,  of 
these  Christianized  Chinamen? 

A. — I  wouldn't  take  their  word  for  anything. 

Q. — Would  they  perjure  themselves  as  readily  as  do  the 
unchristianized  ? 

A. — I  believe  so. 

Q. — What  effect  does  this  Christian  teaching  have  upon 
the  Chinese  ? 

A. — It  makes  them  keener  and  more  conscienceless — 
worse  in  every  way.  They  learn  the  English  language,  and 
the  smarter  they  get  the  worse  they  get,  and  the  more  expert 
in  thieving.  I  know  Chinamen  who  have  been  here  for  a 
long  time,  and  I  cannot  see  that  they  have  been  improved  by 
their  contact  with  the  whites.  On  the  contrary,  they  have 
learned  all  of  our  rascality  and  none  of  our  virtues.  I  don't 
think  it  is  natural  for  a  Chinaman  to  learn  anything  good. 
I  have  known  one  Chinaman  a  good  many  years.  He  was 
considered  by  a  good  many  people,  and  is  now,  what  they 
call  a  "way  vip"  Chinaman — one  of  the  better  class.  His 
name  is  Ah  BeaUo 

Q. — Is  he  a  Christian  ? 

A. — He  pretends  to  be.  He  is  rather  smart ;  has  learned 
telegraphy,  etc. 


106  CHINATOWN  IN  SACRAMENTO. 

Q. — He  is  the  fellow  who  tries  to  bribe  j)ublic  officers, 
is  he? 

A. — Yes,  sir. 

Q. — He  is  a  "way  up"  fellow  aucl  a  good  Cliristian? 

A. — Yes,  sir.  At  one  time  I  thought  he  was  a  pretty 
good  Chinaman,  but  now  I  don't  think  there  is  a  worse  Chi- 
naman on  I  street  or  on  the  Pacific  Coast,  because  he  has 
learned  so  much.  The  more  they  learn  the  worse  they  be- 
come. 

Q. — What  has  been  the  effect  in  this  city  of  the  employ- 
ment of  Chinese  ?  Has  it  displaced  white  labor  to  any  great 
extent  in  the  lighter  avocations. 

A. — Yes,  sir;  to  a  great  extent. 

Q. — Do  you  think  that  they  drive  servant  girls  from  their 
places,  deprive  them  of  an  opportunity  of  making  an  honest 
living  ? 

A. — Yes,  sir. 

Q. — And  has  that  fact  added  to  the  ranks  of  prostitution  ? 

A. — Yes,  sir. 

Q. — Do  yoLi  know  of  any  such  cases? 

A. — Yes,  sir.  I  recall  two  very  distinctly,  where  white 
girls  have  been  driven  to  prostitution  by  being  thus  driven 
from  their  emjjloyments. 

Q. — They  first  come  into  contact  with  these  Chinamen  in 
the  honest  walks  of  life,  and  are  then  displaced  by  them. 
JNext  they  meet  them  in  the  lower  walks,  and  still  the  advan- 
tage is  against  tliem  ? 

A. — Yes,  sir.  That  condition  of  affairs  exists  to  an 
alarming  extent. 

Q. — Then,  instead  of  the  presence  of  the  Chinese  tend- 
ing to  the  advancement  of  Christian  civilization,  it  has  a 
directly  opposite  effect? 

A. — Y^es,  sir. 

Q. — It  is  claimed  by  the  Chinese  missionaries  in  this 
State  that  from  sixty  to  one  hundred  have  become  Christian- 
ized. Taking  that  to  be  true,  how  many  white  people  have 
been  ruined  by  their  presence  here  during  the  last  twenty- 
five  years  ? 

A. — The  percentage  asrainst  them  is  very  great.  Many 
more  whites  have  been  ruined  in  this  city  alone  than  have 
been  converted  in  the  whole  State.  I  do  not  think  that 
Chinese  become  converted  to  Christianity  at  all.  I  don't 
think  it  is  possible. 


CHINATOWN   IN   SACRAMENTO.  107 

Q. — In  San  Francisco  at  an  early  day,  and  in  Sacramento, 
there  were  few  boys  fourteen,  fifteen  and  sixteen  years  of 
age  in  the  country? 

A. — Yes,  sir. 

Q — And  the  places  occupied  by  boys  in  other  countries 
were  filled  by  the  Chinese  ? 

A. — Yes,  sir. 

Q. — So  that  the  result  was,  that  when  the  boys  came 
along  in  the  natural  growth  of  the  country  there  was  no 
work  for  them  to  do  ? 

A. — That  is  correct. 

Q. — We  have  an  element  in  San  Francisco,  and  a  small 
element  here,  known  as  hoodlums.  Might  not  the  growth  of 
that  element  be  justly  attributed  to  the  presence  of  this  peo- 
ple in  our  midst  ? 

A. — I  think  nine-tenths  of  it  may.  In  other  countries 
boys  find  employment  in  this  light  work,  but  here  it  is  done 
by  the  Chinese.  Boys  of  tender  age  have  been  found  in 
Chinese  houses  of  prostitution  frequently. 

Q. — Would  those  boys  be  liable  to  visit  the  houses  of 
white  prostitutes  ? 

A. — They  would  not  be  so  liable. 

Q.— Why  is  that  ? 

A. — The  prices  are  higher,  and  boys  of  that  age  will  not 
take  the  liberties  with  white  women  that  they  do  in  China- 
town. In  addition  to  that  it  can  be  said  on  behalf  of  the 
white  women  that  they  would  not  allow  boys  of  ten,  eleven, 
or  fourteen  years  of  age  to  enter  their  houses.  No  such 
cases  have  ever  been  reported  to  the  police,  while  the  in- 
stances where  Chinese  women  have  enticed  these  youths 
have  been  very  frequent.  Some  three  years  ago  two  boys, 
one  thirteen  and  the  other  fifteen,  were  taken  from  a  Chinese 
house  of  prostitution  and  brought  to  the  Station-house. 
One  belonged  here  and  the  other  to  San  Francisco.  I  met 
the  San  Francisco  boy  nbout  a  mouth  afterwards,  and  found 
him  suffering  from  a  loathsome  disease,  which  he  said  he 
contracted  in  that  house. 

Q. — Do  you  know  vrhat  they  do  with  their  sick  when  they 
become  helpless  and  unable  to  make  more  money  ? 

A. — Put  them  in  some  outhouse,  or  on  the  sidewalk,  to 
die. 

Q. — Without  food  or  bedding  ? 

A. — Generally.     I  have  found   men  and  women,  bcuh,  in 


108  CHINATOWN   IN   SACRAMENTO. 

that  condition.     I  have  found  them  by  accident  while  hunt- 
ing for  other  things — stolen  goods,  criminals,  etc. 

Q. — You  found  women  wHhout  food  or  drink,  and  with- 
out covering  ? 

A. — Yes,  sir. 

Q. — And  death  would  have  come  from  disease,  or  starva- 
tion, or  both? 

A. — Yes,  sir. 

Q. — Is  that  the  common  way  of  disposing  of  these  wo- 
men when  they  become  useless  ? 

A. — Yes,  sir;  if  not  the  only  way. 

Q. — They  are  less  cared  for  than  are  useless  domestic 
animals  by  the  white  race  ? 

A. — A  great  deal  less. 

Q. — What  is  the  general  effect  of  the  presence  of  this 
race  upon  the  morals  of  this  country  ? 

A.— Bad. 

Q. — Is  this  population  a  criminal  one? 

A . — Principally. 

Q. — Do  you  know  of  any  good  that  comes  from  their 
presence? 

A. — I  have  never  heard  of  any,  nor  can  I  think  of  any. 

Q. — Leaving  San  Francisco  out  of  consideration,  have 
you  ever  known  so  many  people,  in  any  city,  crowded  to- 
gether in  the  same  space  that  they  are  crowded  here  ? 

A. — No,  sir. 

Q. — Have  you  ever  known  as  vicious  a  population  con- 
centrated in  any  other  city  ? 

A. — .No,  sir. 

Q . — Do  you  know  of  any  cases  of  leprosy  here  ? 

A. — I  know  of  one  case  of  leprosy  here.  The  leper  is  a 
loathsome-looking  object,  and  no  one  will  dare  to  touch  him. 
They  will  not  receive  him  at  the  hospital,  and  there  is  no 
place  at  the  Station-house  for  him.  He  could  go  into  any 
store  in  this  city  and  take  whatever  he  pleased. 

Q. — Would  it  be  possible  to  close  up  houses  of  gambling 
and  prostitution  entirely  in  the  Chinese  quarters  ? 

A. — I  think  it  would  be  an  utter  impossibility.  To  do  it 
would  require  a  police  force  large  enough  to  have  a  man  sta- 
tioned on  I  street  every  fifty  or  one  hundred  feet.  More 
policemen  would  be  required  for  the  Chinese  quarter  than 
for  all  the  rest  of  the  city.     Taking  into  consideration   the 


CHINATOWN  IN  SACRAMENTO.  109 

present  state  of  taxation,  the  extra  expense  would  be  more 
than  we  could  stand. 

Q. — The  Chinese  are  about  one-tenth  the  population  of 
the  city  ? 

A. — Yes,  sir. 

Q. — Do  they  pay  one-hundredth  part  of  the  tax? 

A. — No,  sir;  I  don't  think  they  pay  one-thousandth  part. 

Q. — Do  they  own  any  real  estate? 

A. — I  do  not  know  of  any  case,  I  have  heard  that  one 
Chinaman  owned  a  piece  of  land,  but  I  do  not  know  any- 
thing about  it. 

Q. — Would  the  house  in  which  they  live  be  habitable  for 
any  other  class  of  people  ? 

A. — No,  sir.  A  few  recently-erected  might  be  cleansed, 
but  most  of  them  would  have  to  be  torn  down  and  rebuilt. 

Q. — Tell  us  how  they  regard  our  laws  and  ordinances  re- 
lating to  health  and  fire;  how  they  live;  whether  they  buy 
things  here  or  from  Chinese  merchants;  whom  they  have 
displaced,  and  what  would  be  the  effect  of  sending  large 
numbers  of  them  East  ? 

A. — They  totally  disregard  the  fire  and  health  ordi- 
nances. They  build  fires  in  their  rooms  on  the  floor,  under 
the  sidewalks  and  on  the  sidewalks.  The  danger  of  the 
destruction  of  the  city  by  fire  is  very  great,  especially  when 
a  north  wand  is  blowing.  The  Chinese  live  together,  fifteen 
or  twenty  in  a  small  room,  and  do  their  cooking  there  and 
sleep  there.  This  enables  them  to  live  upon  probably  ten 
cents  a  day,  or  seventy  cents  a  week,  while  a  white  laborer 
would  be  under  an  expense,  at  the  very  least,  of  twelve  dol- 
lars a  week.  The  Chinese  use  Chinese  clothing,  live  upon 
Chinese  rice,  and  deal  with  Chinese  merchants.  The 
Chinese  washerman  has  taken  the  place  of  the  white  washer- 
woman. He  has  usurped  the  place  of  the  white  girl  in 
families.  He  has  driven  white  laborers  from  the  factories, 
the  fields,  and  the  ordinary  work  of  laborers.  He  has 
invaded  a  large  portion  of  our  manufacturing  institutions, 
displacing  white  labor,  male  and  female.  He  has  been 
enabled  to  do  this  from  the  fact  that  he  works  for  less  than 
is  necessary  to  support  the  most  economical  of  white 
laborers.  It  has  been  stated  in  Eastern  papers  that  the 
Chinese  on  this  coast  are  abused,  and  that  they  are  not  pro- 
tected by  the  laws.  That  is  not  so.  It  is  because  the  laws 
have  been  well  enforced  in  California  that   the  people  have 


110  CHINATOWN   IN   SACRAMENTO. 

stood  this  thing  so  long  as  they  have.  If  we  should  send  a 
population  of  this  kind  to  any  large  city  in  the  United 
States,  and  the  workingmen  should  understand  the  character 
of  the  Chinese  as  we  understand  it,  they  would  rise  up  and 
jjrevent  their  settling  among  them. 

Lem  Schaum,  a  Chinaman  who  cams  to  California  a  boy 
of  fifteen,  testified: 

Q. — Do  you  know  how  these  bad  women  are  brought 
here  ? 

A. — They  are  stolen  and  bought  in  China,  and  brought 
here,  the  same  as  we  buy  and  sell  stock. 

Q. — Their  condition  is  a  very  horrible  one,  then  ? 

A. — Yes,  sir. 

Q. — Do  you  know  how  they  are  treated? 

A. — Yes,  sir.  The  parties  who  own  them  generally  treat 
them  pretty  roughly.  If  they  don't  go  ahead  and  make 
money  the  owners  will  give  them  a  good  thrashiiig. 

O.  C.  Jackson  testified: 

Mr.  Hmjmond — How  long  have  you  been  in  Calilornia  ? 

A. — Since  eighteen  hundred  and  sixty-three. 

Q, — How  long  have  you  resided  in  Sacramento  ? 

A. — Since  eighteen  hundred  and  sixty-three. 

Q. — What  is  your  present  occupation? 

A. — Regular  police  ofiicer  in  the  city  of  Sacramento. 

Q. — How  long  have  you  been  connected  with  the  force  ? 

A. — I  have  been  an  officer  since  eighteen  hundred  and 
sixty-nine,  but  not  on  the  regular  force  all  the  time. 

Q. — Are  you  familiar  with  the  Chinese  quarters  of  this 
city? 

A. — Yes,  sir. 

Q. — What  is  their  condition  as  regards  cleanliness? 

A. — It  would  be  simply  ridiculous  to  compare  it  with  the 
white  part  of  the  city.     It  is  filthy  in  the  extreme. 

Q. — How  do  they  live  ?  Do  many  live  in  the  same  house? 

A. — They  are  packed  in,  three  tiers  deep.  I  have  visited 
Chinatown  hundreds  of  times  in  search  of  Chinese  thieves, 
•and  have  seen  them  stowed  away  head  and  feet  together,  in 
cellars  and  under  sidewalks,  and  all  their  surroundings  of 
the  most  filthy  character. 


CHINATOWN  IN  SACRAMENTO.  Ill 

Q. — Do  yon  know  how  tliese  Chinese  prostitutes  are 
held — whether  in  slavery  or  not  ? 

A. — I  think  thoy  are  held  in  slavery.  They  are  all 
bought  and  sold  the  same  as  horses  and  cows,  bringing 
prices  according  to  age  and  beauty. 

Q. — Do  you  know  how  they  are  treated? 

A. — As  slaves,  and  punished  as  the  owners  may  choose. 

Q. — What  sort  of  punishments  are  inflicted? 

A. — I  do  not  know,  only  from  hearsay. 

Q. — What  chance  have  these  women  to  escape  if  they 
should  so  desire? 

A. — Very  little  chance.  Where  they  do  get  away  they 
are  generally  caught  and  brought  back  to  the  owners  again. 

Q. — Do  they  resort  to  the  processes  of  our  Courts  in 
order  to  recover  women  who  have  escaped  ? 

A. — Yes,  sir;  in  a  great  many  cases  to  my  knowledge. 
They  will  swear  out  a  warrant  for  her  arrest  for  grand  lar- 
ceny or  some  felony.  Sometimes  it  is  sworn  out  against  the 
man  who  has  her,  and  sometimes  against  both.  As  soon  as 
they  get  possession  of  the  woman,  they  trifle  with  the  cases 
until  they  fall  through.  It  is  almost  impossible  for  a  woman 
to  escape. 

Q. — Do  you  know  what  is  done  with  these  women  when 
they  become  sick,  heljDless  and  incurably  diseased  ? 

A. — Where  they  see  that  they  will  be  of  no  further  use  to 
make  money,  they  turn  them  out  on  the  sidewalk  to  die .  I 
have  seen  men  and  women  also  turned  out  to  die  in  this 
manner.  I  have  found  dead  men  while  searching  for 
stolen  property,  and  have  had  the  Coroner  attend  to  them. 
The  Chinese  nre  very  superstitious  in  regfird  to  sickness  and 
death,  and  will  have  nothing  to  do  with  their  unfortunate 
fellow-countrymen.  A  great  many  die  in  out-of-the-way 
places,  abandoned  by  the  Chinese,  without  food  or  drink. 

Q. — Do  you  know  whether  Chinese  prostitutes  have  been 
in  the  habit  of  soliciting  young  boys  of  tender  age  ? 

A. — I  do  not  remember  any  cases  of  late  occurrence. 
Since  the  present  Chief  of  Police  went  into  office  there  has 
been  little  of  that  business,  as  he  has  kept  the  places  shut 
up.  Previous  to  that  these  women  were  in  the  habit  of 
soliciting  openly.  I  have  seen  in  these  houses  boys  of  ten, 
thirteen,  fourteen  and  fifteen  years  of  age. 

Q. — Have  you  ever  heard  of  boys  of  that  age  visiting 
white  houses  of  prostitution  ? 


112  CHINATOWN   IN   SACRAMENTO. 

A. — No,  sir;  I  never  knew  of  any  such  case. 

Q. — Do  you  believe  the  wliite  women  would  allow  it? 

A. — No,  sir. 

Q. — This  is  frequent  in  the  Chinese  quarter  ? 

A. — It  has  been. 

Q. — How  is  their  testimony  received  in  Court  ? 

A. — I  would  not  believe  a  Chinaman  under  oath,  for 
they  will  swear  whichever  way  interest  or  prejudice  directs. 
They  are  in  the  habit  of  compromising  felonies  and  offenses. 
They  have  their  own  secret  tribunals,  where  they  try  men 
for  offenses.  I  was  present  at  one  of  their  meetings  a  short 
time  ago,  and  they  questioned  me  very  closely  regarding  cer- 
tain Chinamen  whom  they  accused  of  furnishing  evidence. 
This  week,  in  the  County  Court,  we  had  a  trial  of  a  China- 
man whom  I  arrested  for  stealing  from  the  Congregational 
church  school-room.  He  was  caught  in  the  room  by  the 
Chinaman  who  keeps  it  in  order,  and  held  until  I  got  there 
and  took  him  into  custody.  There  were  three  Chinamen 
there  when  he  was  arrested  and  searched,  besides  Mrs. 
Shane,  the  teacher.  Two  of  these  Chinamen  begged  the 
white  witnesses  on  several  occasions  not  to  go  to  Court  and 
testify,  else  they  would  be  killed  by  order  of  their  country- 
men. In  the  Police  Court  they  were  not  needed,  and  were 
not  called.  Two  or  three  nights  before  the  trial  came  on  in 
the  County  Court,  this  Chinaman,  Fon  Fon,  came  to  my  res- 
idence very  much  excited,  and  wanted  me  to  go  down  town 
with  him.  I  asked  him  what  for,  and  he  said  the  Ky-che- 
lung  was  holding  a  meeting,  and  he  wanted  me  to  go  iDcfore 
it.  He  said  they  were  meeting  to  make  him  pay  one  dollar 
a  day  for  every  day  this  man  had  been  in  jail,  or  else  hire  a 
lawyer  to  get  him  out,  saying  that  if  the  man  was  convicted 
and  he  did  not  pay  this  money  he  would  be  killed.  He  also 
said  that  he  had  not  dared  go  down  I  street  since  the  man's 
arrest.  I  went  to  the  meeting  of  the  Ky-che-lung  and  was 
questioned  very  closely.  To  see  what  they  were  up  to  I 
evaded  their  questions,  and  finally  told  them  this  man  had 
nothing  to  do  with  the  matter.  This  was  what  they  were 
after,  and  one  told  me  he  did  not  believe  me.  On  the  trial 
the  two  other  Chinese  had  disappeared,  and  an  attachment 
had  to  be  sent  for  Fon  Fon.  On  the  stand  he  perjured  him- 
self, declaring  he  knew  nothing  of  things  that  occurred  there 
the  day  of  arrest.  He  was  very  much  scared  and  doubtless 
acted  under  orders.     The  Chinese  told  me  the  whole  matter 


CHINATOWN  IN  SACRAMENTO.  113 

had  been  settled.  The  great  number  of  offenses  committed 
bj  Chinese  among  themselves  are  settled  long  before  they 
come  to  issue  iu  our  Courts.  They  use  threats  and  intimi- 
dation among  themselves,  but  never  towards  the  whites. 

Q. — Do  you  know  anything  about  the  murder  of  Ah 
Quong  ? 

A. — Yes,  sir.     That  was  as  Mr.  Jones  stated. 

Q. — Do  you  know  anything  about  the  posting  up  of  offers 
of  rewards  for  assassinations  ? 

A. — I  have  had  them,  but  of  course  could  not  read  them. 
I  have  had  them  translated.  They  offer  so  much  for  the 
murder  of  a  particular  individual,  and  agree  to  protect  the 
murderer. 

Q. — Do  you  know  any  Christian  Chinamen  ? 

A. — No,  sir. 

Q. — Do  you  know  whether  the  employment  of  Chinamen 
in  this  city,  iu  the  place  of  white  girls,  has  led  to  the  prosti- 
tution of  the  whites  in  any  degree  ? 

A. — I  cannot  say.  My  opinion  is  that  the  presence  of 
the  Chinese  tends  to  degrade  the  working  classes,  but  I 
can't  say  that  I  know  of  any  instances  where  white  girls  have 
been  driven  to  prostitution  because  of  the  Chinese. 

Q. — How  much  a  day  can  Chinese  laborers  of  the  lower 
classes  support  themselves  upon  ? 

A. — They  can  live  on  ten  cents  a  day.  White  men  can- 
not board  themselves  for  less  than  fifty  cents  a  day.  The 
Chinese  evade  all  the  tax  they  can.  A  poll-tax  receipt  is 
passed  around  from  one  to  the  other,  and  they  swear  them- 
selves clear  of  paying  whenever  they  can. 

A. — Do  they  import  much  of  their  food  and  clothing 
from  China? 

A. — Yes,  sir.  They  spend  very  little  money  with  Amer- 
icans. They  come  here,  stay  until  they  get  some  money 
together,  and  then  go  home  again.  While  they  are  here 
they  are  sending  money  home  all  the  time. 

Q. — From  what  you  have  seen,  do  you  think  the  presence 
of  the  Chinese  here  tends  to  the  advancement  of  Christian 
civilization  ? 

A. — It  has  the  reverse  effect.  It  is  also  degrading*  to 
white  labor;  insteM  of  learning  good,  they  are  learning-: 
vice.  They  are  becoming  educated  only  in  thievery,  anci 
perjury,  and  everything  bad. 


114  CHINATOWN  IN    SACllAMENTO. 

Q. — la  the  administration  of  justice,  do  the  officers  meet 
with  any  assistance  at  the  hands  of  the  more  respectable 
portion  of  the  Chinese  ? 

A. — They  stand  in  the  way  of  the  administration  of  the 
law,  from  the  head  men  down  to  the  lo  i\'est  thieves.  They 
are  a  nation  of  thieves,  the  lowest  being  under  the  direction 
and  management  of  the  more  intelligent,  who  know  the  laws, 
hire  lawyers,  procure  testimony,  and  act  as  receivers  of 
stolen  goods.  When  you  are  on  I  street,  searching  for  infor- 
mation, you  can't  find  a  man  but  what  will  answer  to  all 
your  questions,  "no  sabe."  Sometimes  theyi^ut  up  jobs  on 
their  fellow-countrymen,  and  convict  them  of  crime,  whether 
guilty  or  not.  They  have  no  respect  for  our  laws,  and  con- 
sider them  only  of  use  in  so  far  as  they  can  use  them  to 
work  their  own  personal  ends.  They  settle  everything  in 
their  own  councils,  and  as  the  thing  goes  there  so  it  goes 
elsewhere. 

Q. — What  is  the  great  difficulty  in  the  administration  of 
the  law  ? 

A. — Our  ignorance  of  their  language ;  and  unless  white 
witnesses  are  very  familiar  with  Chinese  faces,  they  have 
great  trouble  in  identifying  them.  Officers  have  no  difficulty 
on  that  score,  but  otliers  do. 


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